Ergot 2022

[Zan]

I had a nightmare with ergot last year and these forums were very helpful--- it was difficult to find info anywhere else. This year, in an attempt to avoid all seed heads and thus ergot, I have had the field topped twice, in June and then the beginning of August, and have been buzzing about with my strimmer where the topper couldn't go.
At first glance huge success--- nothing in sight but green grass and no fluffy seed heads, but on closer inspection there are new seed heads of rye grass appearing since the last topping on 7th August. I suppose because ryegrass is more robust than ther grasses. Does anyone know if it's too late in the season for these to become infected with ergot? I looked up the life cycle again and it says "..........
At or near to harvest, ergots fall to the ground where they remain dormant. In the following spring, they germinate and produce mushroom-shaped spore bearing structures (stroma).
The spores are spread by the wind to nearby open flowers of grasses and cereals. ......."
So if the ergots just germinate in the spring and spread their spores, does that mean these fresh new heads on the ryegrass won't get contaminated because the spores did their stuff in the spring? There's not a huge amount of rye in the fields, but it's pretty much invisible till you are on it, unlike other grasses with their big pale coloured heads, and I'm finding it labour intensive and demoralising trying to get them all with the strimmer.

 

[southerncomfort]

I had loads of it last year, it was an absolute nightmare!

I've been strimming down the tall grass every now and then in the winter paddock. The only affected grass this year is cocks foot. I would say maybe 1 out of every 10 plants are affected, and probably only 1 or 2 seed heads on the affected plants, the rest look completely normal.

I wonder if this is a 'normal' amount that most grazing would have most years, hence why we never noticed it before.

 

[Landcruiser]

Least of my worries. All my grass has been eaten off - normally my rested paddocks would have regrown for use in autumn/winter but there's very little regrowth and certainly not many seed heads. I think my hay/haylage bill is going to be mega this year...

 

[PurBee]

I had a nightmare with ergot last year and these forums were very helpful--- it was difficult to find info anywhere else. This year, in an attempt to avoid all seed heads and thus ergot, I have had the field topped twice, in June and then the beginning of August, and have been buzzing about with my strimmer where the topper couldn't go.
At first glance huge success--- nothing in sight but green grass and no fluffy seed heads, but on closer inspection there are new seed heads of rye grass appearing since the last topping on 7th August. I suppose because ryegrass is more robust than ther grasses. Does anyone know if it's too late in the season for these to become infected with ergot? I looked up the life cycle again and it says "..........
At or near to harvest, ergots fall to the ground where they remain dormant. In the following spring, they germinate and produce mushroom-shaped spore bearing structures (stroma).
The spores are spread by the wind to nearby open flowers of grasses and cereals. ......."
So if the ergots just germinate in the spring and spread their spores, does that mean these fresh new heads on the ryegrass won't get contaminated because the spores did their stuff in the spring? There's not a huge amount of rye in the fields, but it's pretty much invisible till you are on it, unlike other grasses with their big pale coloured heads, and I'm finding it labour intensive and demoralising trying to get them all with the strimmer.

“So if the ergots just germinate in the spring and spread their spores, does that mean these fresh new heads on the ryegrass won't get contaminated because the spores did their stuff in the spring?”

If the info you looked up was absolutely correct about ergot life cycle, no grass seed heads would be infected with ergot spores, because no grasses are developing a seed head at springtime, when that info says ergot is ‘supposed’ to be sporulating and infecting seed heads. Leaf growth pre-dominates in spring.

moulds/Mushroom development stages depend on moisture and temperature changes - these trigger either fruiting/mycelia growth etc - and these conditions can happen throughout the year.

Try not to worry too much about the odd seed head with ergot - the fields to be worried about are those where 1 out of 10 seedheads are affected, rather than 1 per 1000 seedheads affected.

If youre planning to let it be grazed soon, i wouldnt worry. Or, graze it for a little while so the animals get the fresh seed heads, then pull them off it, to allow more regrowth. Judicious grazing rotation of fields can prevent many seedheads developing and ease your strimming burden. I know it can be tricky to time it right. Climatic conditions dominate this aspect of field management so its impossible to have a strict timeline regimen. Much of it is ‘see how it goes’.

But if right now youre seeing seedheads develop consistently throughout the grass, get them grazed-off if you can, its food at the end of the day and better in the belly than composting.

ryegrass species are early/mid or late developing - bred specifically to be harvested at a certain type of year. So if topped early, can potentially re-shoot another seedhead.
Theres no definite date to give for when a field should be topped to prevent seedhead growth, as it depends on the species of grass in it - but ryegrass is the one sort that will keep growing seedheads, annoyingly - especially in a mild year.

 

[Zan]

“So if the ergots just germinate in the spring and spread their spores, does that mean these fresh new heads on the ryegrass won't get contaminated because the spores did their stuff in the spring?”

If the info you looked up was absolutely correct about ergot life cycle, no grass seed heads would be infected with ergot spores, because no grasses are developing a seed head at springtime, when that info says ergot is ‘supposed’ to be sporulating and infecting seed heads. Leaf growth pre-dominates in spring.

moulds/Mushroom development stages depend on moisture and temperature changes - these trigger either fruiting/mycelia growth etc - and these conditions can happen throughout the year.

Try not to worry too much about the odd seed head with ergot - the fields to be worried about are those where 1 out of 10 seedheads are affected, rather than 1 per 1000 seedheads affected.

If youre planning to let it be grazed soon, i wouldnt worry. Or, graze it for a little while so the animals get the fresh seed heads, then pull them off it, to allow more regrowth. Judicious grazing rotation of fields can prevent many seedheads developing and ease your strimming burden. I know it can be tricky to time it right. Climatic conditions dominate this aspect of field management so its impossible to have a strict timeline regimen. Much of it is ‘see how it goes’.

But if right now youre seeing seedheads develop consistently throughout the grass, get them grazed-off if you can, its food at the end of the day and better in the belly than composting.

ryegrass species are early/mid or late developing - bred specifically to be harvested at a certain type of year. So if topped early, can potentially re-shoot another seedhead.
Theres no definite date to give for when a field should be topped to prevent seedhead growth, as it depends on the species of grass in it - but ryegrass is the one sort that will keep growing seedheads, annoyingly - especially in a mild year.

Thanks very much for your reply.
Ah of course you're right there are no grass seed heads n springtime! Why didn't I notice that?! A few sources on the internet say the same thing, and it's obvious nonsense now you've pointed it out. I had hoped maybe these new ryegrass seed heads were too late in the year to be affected. Alas no.
I think I'm doomed to wandering about with my strimmer then. I have sheep on the big field at the moment but I only have eleven so they aren't making much of a dent in it. Too much grass there for the horses so I can't put them in --- I have two big guys in their 20s who both have Cushings and two mini Shetlands so they are all on limited grazing in the summer and won't go on the big field till about December. The horses don't seem to eat ryegrass seed heads anyway--- the summer paddocks are grazed right down, but dotted about in them are solitary ryegrass seed heads. I must look crazy to anyone seeing me walking slowly about on short grass with my strimmer hovering above it, buzzing away.

 

[foxy1]

I don't know how prevelant its been on the grass (definitely seen it on ryegrass and black grass) but harvest has been an absolute nightmare this year with ergot in the grain, wheat and barley.

 

[PurBee]

Thanks very much for your reply.
Ah of course you're right there are no grass seed heads n springtime! Why didn't I notice that?! A few sources on the internet say the same thing, and it's obvious nonsense now you've pointed it out. I had hoped maybe these new ryegrass seed heads were too late in the year to be affected. Alas no.
I think I'm doomed to wandering about with my strimmer then. I have sheep on the big field at the moment but I only have eleven so they aren't making much of a dent in it. Too much grass there for the horses so I can't put them in --- I have two big guys in their 20s who both have Cushings and two mini Shetlands so they are all on limited grazing in the summer and won't go on the big field till about December. The horses don't seem to eat ryegrass seed heads anyway--- the summer paddocks are grazed right down, but dotted about in them are solitary ryegrass seed heads. I must look crazy to anyone seeing me walking slowly about on short grass with my strimmer hovering above it, buzzing away.

Sounds like youve got more grass than suitable horses to eat it, perfect opportunity to get more horses! ?

Maybe the sheep will keep on top of the heading ryegrass, despite being low in numbers, if theyre on it 24/7 they could keep managed somewhat.

I find all grazers (during finer warm months) prefer the fresh growing grass leaves compared to seed head stalks. If mine go on a rested field thats got some seedheads i notice they wont really eat them, and ill end up topping it when i move them off. Im in a damp climate and ergot/general black moulds are highly likely to take over a seedhead left until autumn.

To keep that from happening i have faster rotations than say, graze 1 field 6 weeks, then move. They get 10 days in 1 fields, then move. But all this does depend on number of horses and land trying to keep from developing seedheads. I have 2 on 7 mixed grass acres roughly.

Do you know anyone near youre friendly with, with horses, that can ‘brunch’ at yours for 3 weeks to keep the field from heading?
I expect by mid/late sept the ryegrass will give-up heading, even late heading varieties.