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Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Keywords

Annual ryegrass toxicity, Geographical distribution, Corynebacterium, Western Australia

Disciplines

Animal Diseases | Biochemistry | Disorders of Environmental Origin | Sheep and Goat Science

First Page Number

3

Last Page Number

6

ISSN

0021-8618

Abstract

Annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT) is a complex disease that kills sheep and cattle grazing pastures which contain infected ryegrass. The disease results when a nematode (Anguina agrostis) and a batcerium (Corynebacterium sp.) invade annual ryegrass and cause the seed heads to become toxic as the grass dries off.

The bacterium produces a complex toxin of 18 glycolipid compounds or corynetoxins which have been found to be virtually identical to the antibiotic tunicamycin.

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