Livestock

Ergot Poisoning in Cattle: Welfare and Pasture Management

How Claviceps purpurea contamination affects cattle welfare and how pasture management prevents it.

Key Facts

Ergot is caused by Claviceps purpurea fungus infecting grass and cereal seed heads
Causes vasoconstriction leading to gangrene of extremities (ergotism)
Wet spring conditions favour ergot development in grass seed heads
Tail, ear, and hoof tips are most susceptible to gangrene in affected cattle

Welfare Considerations

Ergot poisoning causes severe welfare harm — peripheral vasoconstriction leads to dry gangrene of the extremities. Welfare impacts include pain from ischemic tissue, eventual loss of tail tips, hooves, and ears, and systemic illness. Welfare-focused pasture management identifies high-risk pastures, avoids grazing infected seed heads, and removes affected cattle from the source immediately.

What You Can Do

Check grass seed heads for ergot bodies (purple-black structures) before grazing
Remove cattle promptly from infected pastures at first signs of lameness or tail switching
Report suspected ergotism to your vet promptly — welfare deteriorates rapidly without intervention