Ryegrass staggers is a seasonal problem of sheep, cattle and horses that feed on overgrazed ryegrass pastures. A fungus (Neotyphodium lolii) that grows between the plant cells of ryegrass produces a poison that affects the nervous system of stock. The sheep in this video clip is severely afflicted, walking with a stiff gait and collapsing with spasms when disturbed. In the early 1980s Lester Fletcher, the scientist being interviewed, discovered the link between ryegrass staggers and the fungus.
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