The impact of endophyte on the health and productivity of sheep grazing ryegrass-based pastures

Authors

  • L.R. Fletcher
  • B.L. Sutherland
  • C.G. Fletcher

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33584/rps.7.1999.3403

Abstract

The health and production of sheep grazing perennial ryegrass with and without wild-type endophyte (Neotyphodium lolii) has been studied in several trials over a number of years. Lambs/ hoggets grazing predominantly perennial ryegrass swards with endophyte developed moderate to severe ryegrass staggers in summer and autumn, while those grazing endophyte-free ryegrass did not. Lambs/hoggets grazing ryegrass with endophyte also had more dags, lower growth rates, lower plasma prolactin levels, higher body temperatures and respiration rates under warm humid conditions. Most of these adverse responses were more severe in summer and autumn when endophyte toxin concentrations were highest. Many of these symptoms are similar to those described for the "autumn ill thrift" syndrome in New Zealand. Keywords: dags, endophyte, flystrike, growth rates, hyperthermia, Neotyphodium, perennial ryegrass, prolactin, ryegrass staggers, sheep

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Published

1999-01-01

How to Cite

Fletcher, L., Sutherland, B., & Fletcher, C. (1999). The impact of endophyte on the health and productivity of sheep grazing ryegrass-based pastures. NZGA: Research and Practice Series, 7, 11–17. https://doi.org/10.33584/rps.7.1999.3403

Issue

Vol. 7 (1999): Ryegrass Endophyte: An Essential NZ Symbiosis

Section

Past volumes

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Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Rights granted to the New Zealand Grassland Association through this agreement are non-exclusive. You are free to publish the work(s) elsewhere and no ownership is assumed by the NZGA when storing or curating an electronic version of the work(s). The author(s) will receive no monetary return from the Association for the use of material contained in the manuscript. If I am one of several co-authors, I hereby confirm that I am authorized by my co-authors to grant this Licence as their agent on their behalf. For the avoidance of doubt, this includes the rights to supply the article in electronic and online forms and systems.