Is Rye Grass Poisonous?

Rye Grass

• Both annual and perennial rye grasses are cool-season turf types that commonly grow in pastures and fields. Gardeners living in the northern parts of the United States plant rye grass for a winter yard. The grass itself is not toxic. Tiny poisonous fungi called endophytes grow in perennial rye grass, according to Horse Talk. These fungi produce mycotoxins, which affect parts of the brain that control coordination. Animals that have consumed rye grass growing these fungal spores quickly exhibit symptoms of poisoning. Annual ryegrass can grow bacteria, which causes similar rye grass staggers in animals.

Poisoning

• Severe rye grass staggers cause animals to tremble,stagger and die, according to Horse Talk. Moderate cases of rye grass staggers affect animal behavior. Horse and livestock owners may notice that their animals are acting flighty, according to Tasmania's Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. Not all animals display rye grass staggers after consuming the grass. The severity of the symptoms depends on how the animal reacts to the mycotoxins. However, animals need proper care after ingesting poisonous rye grass.

Treating Symptoms

• Animals that have been poisoned by eating annual or perennial rye grass should see a vet. Generally, vets will recommend that the animal be placed in a paddock until symptoms end, according to Horse Talk. When taking care of your animal experiencing rye grass staggers, act calmly and quietly around the animal. Loud noises can scare the animal, which may cause them to harm themselves or their surroundings. Make sure that there are has no rye grass around it.

Prevention

• You can minimize future rye grass poisoning problems by sowing the pasture or lawn with a low-endophyte or endophyte-free grass type, according to Horse Talk. An endophyte is an organism that lives inside another organism like a grass seed, according to the University of Rhode Island. Remove all rye grass from your pasture if animals have been experiencing problems. Long exposures to rye grass can cause organ damage in animals, according to Horse Talk.