Botha C J, Naudé T W, Moroe M L, Rottinghaus G E
Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa.
J S Afr Vet Assoc. 2004 Mar;75(1):45-8. doi: 10.4102/jsava.v75i1.449.
The 1st outbreak of fescue toxicosis in South Africa was recently confirmed in a Brahman herd at Perdekop, near Standerton, in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Within 3 weeks of being placed on a fescue pasture in mid-winter, 50 of 385 cattle developed lameness and/or necrosis of the tail. The farmer had established Festuca elatior L. (tall fescue, Iewag variety) on c. 140 ha for winter grazing. Fescue may be infected by an endophyte, Neotyphodium coenophialum, which produces ergot alkaloids, in particular ergovaline. Ergovaline concentrations in basal leaf sheaths and grass stems collected during the outbreak ranged from 1720-8170 ppb on a dry-matter basis.
南非首次确诊的牛鞭草中毒疫情最近发生在南非姆普马兰加省斯坦德顿附近佩德科普的一个婆罗门牛群中。在仲冬时节被安置到一片牛鞭草牧场上的3周内，385头牛中有50头出现跛行和/或尾巴坏死。这位农场主在约140公顷的土地上种植了高羊茅（Festuca elatior L.，高羊茅，IEWAG品种）用于冬季放牧。牛鞭草可能被内生真菌Neotyphodium coenophialum感染，这种真菌会产生麦角生物碱，尤其是麦角缬碱。疫情期间采集的基部叶鞘和草茎中的麦角缬碱浓度，以干物质计，范围在1720 - 8170 ppb之间。
