tails falling off?

[Keren]

I know I have read here somewhere that a certain plant/grass can cause cows to lose their tails ... can anyone tell me what it is?

I'm not having the problem but a friend is.

 

[harry]

I have never seen it happen but have read and heard that tall fescue grass infected with the endophite fungus will cause tail and hooves to slough off.

 

[Keren]

thank you harry, thats the one!

 

[CKC1586]

Holy crap!!! For real?????

 

[Keren]

Holy crap!!! For real?????

seriously, I know other people have posted about it before

I've only had calves lose their tails, and I figure a cow stepped on it, but my friend has had a couple now lose their tails and I figure one, got it caught in the fence or stepped on. two, either a dog problem or maybe a feed problem. she hasnt had any lose their hooves though ... ouch!

 

[dun]

Typically the highly endophyte infected fescue only causes problems in the winter. It has to do with restricting blood flow to the extermities. But, if the fescue is r4eally hot it can cause similar but usually not as severe problems anytime.

 

[Keren]

if you had fescue through the hay there wouldnt be a problem, right? just pasture?

 

[dun]

if you had fescue through the hay there wouldnt be a problem, right? just pasture?

While the endophyte does decrease in hay, it is still present and can cause problems. The toxic stuff "ergovalin" is primarily in the seeds, but is present in the entire plant to some degree.

 

[Keren]

thanks very much dun. I have a feeling the problem might be in her hay.

 

[bandit80]

Yep, had one first calf heifer lose her tail on fescue pasture last year. She still doesn't seem right. She is down on her condition and moves slower than the rest. raising a good calf, however.