[Jacob-list] Endophyte infected fescue and horn development - Neal?

[Linda]

This topic was brought up a few years back and I remember comments on the effects of infected fescue on horn and hoof development.  We do feed both fescue and bermuda hay. It's hard to get away from fescue in our area.  I've been pretty happy with the horn growth on my lambs, but there is an occasional lamb that develops horns slowly - but does catch up.  I've seen pix of my lambs that are not being fed infected fescue and their horn development is more developed than the twin that has stayed and been fed fescue.  By two years old, the twins are very similar. 

Does feeding infected fescue only slow horn growth or does it damage growth to the point that those horns will never be as strong?  Thirteen years ago, I bought a ewe that exhibited terrible hoof separation.  She had been fed infected fescue from birth (well, since before birth, I guess, since that's all her dam got).  I was feeding fescue hay and our grass was fescue.  That ewe's lambs all had the foot problems.  None of my unrelated sheep showed any problem.  Is an intolerance to infected fescue genetic?  Once I culled that entire line, I never had another problem, even though I'm still feeding fescue along with bermuda.

Linda
Getting ready for 2006 lambs!
www.patchworkfibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn
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