Western Australian farmers have been asked to collect toxic ryegrass seedheads to help investigate the potential to biologically control annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT). 

The biological control research is being conducted by the CSIRO at the Australian Animal Health Laboratories in Geelong. 

Department of Agriculture principal veterinary toxicologist Jeremy Allen said to further the research, toxic seedheads needed to be collected from a large geographical area. 

“It is coming up to the time when ryegrass is sufficiently mature to become toxic and cause annual ryegrass toxicity. Farmers should be starting to make regular observations of livestock which graze ryegrass dominant pastures,” Dr Allen said.

“There are already reports over a wide area of yellow slime on ryegrass seedheads.  This indicates the presence of the causative organisms of ARGT in the paddock and the potential for ARGT to occur.”

“If any animals show clinical signs of ARGT, the whole flock or herd should be immediately moved quietly to pasture considered to be non-toxic,” Dr Allen said.

Dr Allen said any farmer who encountered ARGT in livestock this year could assist the research by collecting a dozen ryegrass seedheads from the infected paddock. 

The seedheads should be placed in an envelope which also records the farm address, and sent to Dr Jeremy Allen at the Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health Laboratories, Locked Bag No. 4, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983.

Dr Allen said, CSIRO were also interested in receiving seedheads covered in yellow slime, whether from a toxic paddock or not.

The seedheads will be forwarded to CSIRO and examined for the presence of a bacteriophage, which is like a virus that infects bacteria.  The bacteriophage is thought to stimulate the production of toxins in the seedhead and potentially could be modified to act as a biocontrol agent.