Ryegrass Staggers: The Presence of Lolitrem Neurotoxins in Perennial Ryegrass Seed

Abstract

Extract Sir:- Recently, two potent neurotoxins named lolitrem A and lolitrem B were isolated from herbage collected from pastures on which the livestock disorder ryegrass staggers (RGS) occurred. et al.⁽¹⁾ Gallagher, R.T. , White, E.P. and Mortimer, P.H. 1981. Ryegrass staggers: Isolation of potent neurotoxins lolitrem A and lolitrem B from staggers-producing pastures. N.Z. vet. J., 29: 189–190. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar] We now wish to report that samples of perennial rygrass (Loliun yeretzrze L.) seed obtained from several locations in New Zealand contained potent neurotoxins which include lolitrem A and lolitrem B. Further, when pellets made from lolitrem neurotoxin-containing seed were fed to sheep, symptoms indistinguishable from those of severe, natural RGS were induced in four sheep, and mild symptoms in three sheep.