The clinical signs included inappetence, depression, and subcutaneous oedema of the head, neck, chest and abdomen. Affected horses had very low plasma albumin values.
All horses were grazing pastures that had been sown with varieties of Mediterranean tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) that carry the endophyte known as Max P or Max Q.
It is proposed that a pyrrolizidine alkaloid, N-acetyl norloline, which is produced by the Max P endophyte, may be responsible for this new toxicity in horses.
Source: CA Bourke, E Hunt, R Watson (2009): Fescue-associated oedema of horses grazing on endophyte-inoculated tall fescue grass (Festuca arundinacea) pastures. In: Australian Veterinary Journal, Volume 87 Issue 12, Pages 492 - 498
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