Symptoms of ARGT may appear as soon as 48 hours or as late as several weeks after animals are introduced to toxic paddocks. Stock grazing paddocks containing annual ryegrass in districts where losses have been reported should be inspected at least once daily to minimise losses.

Signs of ARGT are stimulated by stress or activity, so when inspecting mobs they should be stirred up and driven briskly for 100 to 200 metres. Animals affected by ARGT will fall behind the mob, show an uncoordinated gait, stop and usually fall over. They will convulse, typically throwing the head back with stiff legs. Many animals fall down and convulse for 15 seconds to 3 minutes before they appear to recover and rejoin the mob.

When affected animals are found the mob should be moved quietly to a 'safe' paddock with good water, safe feed and shade. Animals can continue to go down for up to 10 days after being moved off the toxic paddock (with peak deaths often occurring at four days).

Animals showing intermittent convulsions will often recover once the source of toxin is removed but if animals are down for long periods they require considerable care and are difficult to save.

For further information, please contact your local veterinary officer or Dr Jeremy Allen on 08 93683466 or Email jallen1@agric.wa.gov.au.

• Stock management
  Before the ryegrass begins to 'hay-off' inspect the stock every day. When an animal shows ARGT Symptoms, immediately move the stock quietly to a safe paddock. Avoid exciting or stressing the animals as this increases the effect of the toxins. If possible, move the stock to a paddock with shade and water. Infested paddocks can be safely grazed before the ryegrass 'hay-off'. So if possible, graze known infested paddocks before ryegrass matures.





• Ryegrass control
  Use herbicides, preferably post-emergent, in crops to control annual ryegrass.
  Topping ryegrass, hard grazing or mowing while the heads are emerging from the boot will reduce gall production.
  Spraytop will reduce ryegrass seed set, and thus ryegrass population in the following season.
  Burning, if feasible, is an effective way of removing toxic materials. It will also destroy some of the galls and ryegrass seeds.





• Biological control
  The twist fungus is a naturally occurring organisms in parts of WA, SA and Vic. and is capable of reducing the level of ARGT causal organisms. An inoculum has been developed by The Department of Agriculture with support from GRDC and Wool Growers Organisation. The inoculum is available to farmers through BART Pty Ltd.





• How Twist Fungus Works
  The twist fungus (Dilophospora alopecuri) is carried into ryegrass by attaching itself to the same nematode that carries the bacterium. The fungus hinders the movement of the nematode and reduces its ability to invade ryegrass. It also restricts the growth and reproduction of nematodes and bacterium in ryegrass. The fungus is fast growing. Once inside the ryegrass, the fungus colonises the seed head and may cause it to become twisted, giving the fungus its common name. In the process, it limits nematode and bacterial development.

Order Twist Fungus Inoculum
The inoculum comes in 20 kg boxes which, when applied at the minimum application rate of 200 g/ha, should cover up to 100 ha of paddock. The inoculum will cost $300/box plus GST.

To order the inoculum, an order form needs to be filled in by the end of February and sent back to:

Bart Pty Ltd
PO Box 1006
Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983

The inoculum will be delivered in the following May through to early July. Orders received after the end of February will be supplied in the following year.

The order forms can be obtained from local Department of Agriculture offices, selected CAC centres, or by contacting

Dr George Yan or Dr Ian Riley.