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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #419927
Research Project: Developing Mitigation Strategies for Poisonous Plants in Livestock Production Systems

Location: Poisonous Plant Research

Title: A Case of dallisgrass staggers in Oklahoma

Author
item Lee, Stephen
item OZUNA, GISELLE - Oklahoma State University
item VILLASENOR, ADRIANA - Oklahoma State University
item Cook, Daniel

Submitted to: Poisonous Plant Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/3/2024
Publication Date: 12/5/2024
Citation: Lee, S.T., Ozuna, G.C., Villasenor, A., Cook, D. 2024. A Case of dallisgrass staggers in Oklahoma. Poisonous Plant Research. 7:29-33. https://doi.org/10.26077/256c-1d01.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26077/256c-1d01

Interpretive Summary: Dallisgrass is a warm-season, perennial forage found in pastures across the southeastern United States. Seed heads of dallisgrass are susceptible to ergot infection resulting in production of several tremorgenic indole-diterpene alkaloids such as paspalinine, paspalitrem A, and paspalitrem B. Herein, we report a clinical case of “dallisgrass staggers” in Oklahoma beef cows resulting in 31% morbidity and 5% mortality. Clinical signs were first observed within 36 hours of exposure to a new pasture, and included shaking, whole body tremors, staggering, swaying and wobbling when walking, falling down, and hyperexcitability. Tremorgenic indole diterpene alkaloids were detected from ergotized seed heads collected from the pasture.

Technical Abstract: Dallisgrass is a warm-season, perennial forage found in pastures across the southeastern United States. Seed heads of dallisgrass are susceptible to ergot infection resulting in production of several tremorgenic indole-diterpene alkaloids such as paspalinine, paspalitrem A, and paspalitrem B. Herein, we report a clinical case of “dallisgrass staggers” in Oklahoma beef cows resulting in 31% morbidity and 5% mortality. Clinical signs were first observed within 36 hours of exposure to a new pasture, and included shaking, whole body tremors, staggering, swaying and wobbling when walking, falling down, and hyperexcitability. Tremorgenic indole diterpene alkaloids were detected from ergotized seed heads collected from the pasture.