Orchard grass and Endophyte ?

[chaded]

I always hear about endophyte and fescue but can orchard grass get it? I found a seed head today that has the exact mouse poop stuff that our fescue has.

 

[Ebenezer]

Nope. Seedhead issue is not an endophyte related symptom. Ergot, maybe. But the seedhead will appear normal with the endophyte. A good book, "The Wonder Grass". Other grass specie know to carry an endophyte issue: perennial ryegrass. All repeated there.

 

[Lbass]

Ergot, Starts out looking orange, matures into a black mass resembling mouse poop. I've got it bad enough this year I can find it on fescue, orchard, annual ryegrass, and even a little of the johnson grass headed early enough to pick it up. They tell me it has the same effects on cattle as the endophyte but the 2 aren't related. Jill Schiedt published a short paper on it, see if I can round it up.

http://agebb.missouri.edu/news/swnews/showall.php?story_num=8330

 

[chaded]

Good to know. I don't recall seeing it on anything but fescue but today I looked over while I was in the utv and saw an orchard grass seedhead with with it. I was just more curious then anything, my cows have to eat and perform on what we have (primary fescue) anyways.