Table 1.

Mycotoxicoses in cattle and horses associated with fungal infections of grasses or cereals by members of the Clavicipitaceae family, based on data from Radostits [2]and Mostrom and Jacobson [3]

Fungus	Mycotoxin	Disease	Clinical signs and pathogenesis
[Grass & cereal]
Neotyphodium lolii	Lolitrems (Lolitrem B), an indole-diterpene toxin	Ryegrass staggers	When disturbed gross incoordination, falling hypersensitivity. Functional derangement of nervous tissue function. No histological lesions
[Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perennae)]
Neotyphodium coenophialum	Ergovaline, an ergot alkaloid	Fescue toxicosis	Low milk yield or weight gain, hypersalivation, seek shade. Depression of blood prolactin concentrations
[Tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae)]		Fescue foot	Loss of tail switch, distal limbs, tail tip gangrene. Local vasoconstriction restricts blood supply
[Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perennae)]		Prolonged gestation	Long gestation, dystocia, abortion, stillbirth, agalactia. Vasoconstriction cause placental edema, reducing circulating prolactin
Claviceps purpurea	A range of ergot alkaloids, principally ergotamine, but also ergocristine, ergosine, ergocorine and ergocryptine	Ergotism	Lameness, gangrene of lower limbs, ear tips, loss of tail switch. Arteriolar spasm causes deficient blood supply body parts
[Cereals, rye, triticale, grains, grasses]		Hyperthermia	Hyperthermia, salivation, dyspnea. Reduced blood supply to skin reduces heat loss