Fescue toxicosis is a real problem.

Most tall fescue is infected with a fungal endophyte which can be harmful and even toxic to animals. If you're familiar with grazing endophyte-infected fescue you know the associated problems result from poor blood circulation that stems from ingesting large amounts of ergot-like toxins in fescue.

Fescue toxicosis most often occurs under heat stress in summer months. First, it can decrease feed intake, causing animals to lose body weight despite constant grazing. Weight gains have been shown to reduce .10 ADG for every 10% increase in endophyte infection level.

But that's not all. These toxins interfere with heat regulation and impair blood flow to the extremities, causing "fescue foot" and other symptoms. Livestock also experience low conception rates, poor offspring survival, produce less milk, have higher internal body temperatures and respiration rates, retain a rough hair coat and salivate excessively.

Here's what you can do about it.

• Begin grazing cattle on endophyte-infected pastures when grass is 4" to 6" tall, and graze to 1" stubble height.
  
• Clip tall fescue flower heads early to prevent seeding and cattle consuming seed heads.
  
• When harvesting endophyte-infected fescue for hay, take the first cutting when the grass is in the late boot or early heading stage of development. This will minimize alkaloid concentrations.
  
• Watch for signs of endophyte problems, such as cows standing in ponds.
  
• Provide a CRYSTALYX^® supplement specially formulated for cattle grazing fescue forages.

Choose from six specially formulated fescue solutions.

Short-changing cows on nutrition can be costly, especially in fescue grazing situations. CRYSTALYX^® is the original low-moisture block supplement for livestock, featuring a nutrient-dense blend of molasses solids, proteins, hydrogenated vegetable oil, vitamins, minerals and trace minerals. Every CRYSTALYX^® product is designed to make your life easier and your livestock more productive.

A unique supplement specifically designed to provide supplemental energy, protein, macro-minerals and vitamins to cattle consuming fescue pasture and stored fescue forages. Click Here for more information.		Unique to the industry, this nutrient-dense, 35%-protein supplement is formulated with Tasco¨ to improve utilization of low-quality pasture or harvested forages. Tasco® has also demonstrated improved temperature regulation for cattle consuming endophyte-infected fescue forage. Click Here for more information.
Contains 4.4% magnesium, enough to provide 10 grams of magnesium at one-half pound of intake each day. Recommended for beef cattle grazing fescue pastures low in available magnesium or high in potassium. Click Here for more information.		Transitional mineral supplementation for moving cattle to summer fescue pasture, when additional protein is not needed. FESCUE-PHOS® with Tasco® can help reduce heat stress and result in improved cow and calf performance through the summer months. A key time to provide optimal mineral and vitamin nutrition is one month before the start of, and continuing through the breeding season. Click Here for more information.
Recommended for fescue forages, especially when tetany conditions persist. Added protein makes it ideal for winter tetany conditions, when high forage potassium levels can interfere with magnesium utilization. Added Tasco®, a seaweed meal, can help improve fiber and organic matter digestibility. Click Here for more information.		A dual-purpose, low-moisture block formulated for cattle consuming fescue forages that also contains Rabon® oral larvicide. Rabon® has been proven to safely prevent the growth of horn flies, face flies, house flies and stable flies. Click Here for more information.

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Recent research proves the all-natural benefits of Tasco^®

	A study at North Dakota State University showed a 10% rise in fiber and organic matter digestibility when Tasco® was combined with CRYSTALYX® 35% protein supplement. The study compared CRYSTALYX® Tasco® block with a control block, no block and A. Oryzae in block and bolus form.
	Beyond improved forage utilization, a study at Mississippi State University showed that cow/calf pairs had lower body temperatures and lower respiration rates with Tasco® in the supplement mix. Similar research at Virginia Tech, Texas Tech University and the University of Missouri further supports these benefits. Click here to view the research documented in the Journal of Animal Science.