effects of endophyte-infected fescue on animal performance master grazer educational program

Effects of Endophyte-Infected Fescue

on Animal Performance

Master Grazer Educational Program

Effects of Endophyte on Animals

1. Decreased feed intake

2. Decreased performance• Weight gain• Weaning weights• Milk production

3. Decreased reproductive performance

4. Increased body temperature


Effects of Endophyte on DMI and Gain of Grazing Steers


DMI, lbs Lbs of Gain

Yr. 1 Yr. 2 Yr. 1 Yr. 2

E Free 15.8 13.0 220 60

E Infect. 8.8 9.9 158 - 11

USDA – Ga. Yr. 1 = 168 days, Yr. 2 = 98 days

Gain for Steers Grazing Fescue, Summary of 12 Trials


E. Infected E. Free

ADG (lbs) 0.92 1.63

Difference 0.71Journal of Animal Science

Effects of the Endophyte on Performance (3 year summary)


E. Infected E. Free

% Pregnant 65 94

Weaning Weight (lbs) 409 473

KY Progress Report #306, 1988 pg. 25

Endophyte affects young cows more severely


Age (years)

% Pregnancy Rate

E. Infected E. Free

2 and 3 52 82

4 and older 68 94

Total 63 89

KY Field Day Report- 1985

Effect of % endophyte infection


Endophyte infected %

80-99% 25-60% 0-5%

Virgin heifers-% pregnant

55 82 96

1st calf heifers- % rebred

33 45 93

Milk production (lbs/day)

7.9 14.1 16.3

JAS 63 (Suppl.1):296, ALA Ag. Exp Station 33(4):15

Winter Performance of Heifers Fed Hay from 11/29 to 2/21


E. Infected E. Free

Hay Intake (lbs/day)

11.3 12.0

% Decrease 6% in Hay Intake

ADG (lbs) 0.61 1.08

KY Progress Report #282- pg. 6

Effects of Endophyte Fescue on Grazing Management and

Grazing Responses


Endophyte decreases grazing time


% time spent grazing

E. Infected E. Free

Daylight 34 52

Dark 22 14

Total 56 66

Ref: Agron. J. 76:707

ADG of Cattle Grazing E. Infected Fescue with or without

Shade from 5/7 to 6/2


ADG (lbs/day)

Cows Calves Steers

Shade 0.24 1.87 1.68

No Shade -1.01 1.46 0.79

KY Progress Report #417- 1999 pg. 24

ADG and Body Temperature of Steers Grazing Stockpiled

Fescue from 11/11 to 12/22


E. Infected E. Free

ADG (lbs) 1.69 2.35

Body Temp on 12/8 104.3 103.6

Body Temp on 12/22 103.4 102.6

KY Progress Report #282, pg. 6

Coping with “Dirty Fescue”


Coping with Dirty Fescue

1. Dilution with clover---


Conception Rate of Cows Grazing Fescue over 4 years


KY 31 E. Infected

With Clover Without Clover

% Conception 91.7 83.4

ADG- Calves (lbs/day)

1.87 1.76

KY Progress Report #282 pg.7


2. With spring calving herd--- Graze alternative crops in the summer

• Examples– warm season grasses (Gamma grass, sorghum-sudan grass, green corn)



3. Keep vegetative– seed heads highest concentration



4. Replace (especially when reseeding) E. infected fescue with

• Novel endophyte fescue varieties• Endophyte free varieties• Other forage crops

… Not always feasible …



5. Refine management practices– Do not breed cows in summer– Calve in the fall versus spring


Effect of time of breeding on conception rate with E. Infected

Fescue, 2 year summary


Time of Breeding

4/21 to 6/5

5/21 to 7/6

6/19 to 8/4

% Conception 89.2 78.4 59.6

KY 1996 Avg # Days with temperature > 90– June =10, July= 19

Effect of Calving Season on Cow-Calf Productivity Grazing

E. Infected Fescue over 4 years


Calving Season

Spring Fall

% Pregnant 64.4 82.6

Weaning Wgt (lbs) 450 486

Lbs calf weaned/cow exposed 289 401


6. Free-choice Mineral “Fescue Mineral”– Cattle grazing fescue and other cool-season

grasses are not receiving adequate Copper, Selenium, Manganese and other trace minerals from the forage.

– The use of a high quality mineral supplement will improve performance.

– This has nothing to do with overcoming the endophyte.



7. Additives• MTB-100 (Alltech)• Tasco (Acadian AgriTech)• Mix-30 (Agridyne)• Yeast-based product (ADM Alliance

Nutrition)


MTB-100 Added to Free-Choice Mineral


Treatment MTB-100 Control

Weight Change (lbs) - 34 - 90

% Pregnant 97.8 88.9

Weaning Wt. (lbs) 634 606

MO, 2002

Tasco Additive


Trial 1 Trial 2

Control + Tasco Control +Tasco

Gain (lbs) 108 120 225 214

Trial 1: Tasco literature, 60 days grazing

Trial 2: JAS 79:1022, 166 avg days grazing

MIX-30 on Reproduction of Beef Cows Grazing Endophyte Fescue, Results


Cattle grazed highly infected fescue and no shade provided Corn-Soy MIX-30

Change in BCS -0.2 +0.2

Change in Body Temp. oF +0.15 -0.5

Pregnancy % 56.4 75.3

2002 KY Ruminant Nutrition Workshop, p. 7

Yeast-Based Product Supplied in Free-choice Mineral


ControlYeast-Based

Product

Cow ADG (lbs) 0.36 0.81

Calf ADG (lbs) 2.53 2.74

ADM Alliance Nutrition, MO Field Trial 7/3 to 10/20, 2004

Questions???


effects of endophyte-infected fescue on animal performance master grazer educational program

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