MaxQ Tall Fescue Is Safe & Beneficial For Horses

MaxQ Tall Fescue Grass - Safe For Horse Pastures & Hay

Fescue toxicity has long been an issue for horses, sheep and cattle. Endophyte-free varieties of Tall Fescue Grass were developed, but they suffered from reduced plant hardiness and survival. MaxQ® was developed by researchers in New Zealand who were searching for a way to reduce the negative aspects of tall fescue grass while retaining the strengths.
Instead of trying to take an endophyte-free plant and make it more persistent, they decided to develop an endophyte-infected plant that was non-toxic. The New Zealand group then began to work with researchers at The University of Georgia and The University of Tennessee. The result was MaxQ Tall Fescue Grass Seed, which produces the natural endophytes needed for drought, insect, and disease resistance but does not produce the alkaloids that caused animal problems. Read more about University study results involving MaxQ Tall Fescue Grass and Horses.

Having pasture grass persistence and improved animal performance in the same tall fescue grass may have once been a dream -- with MaxQ® from Pennington Seed it appears that the dream has come true.

Non-toxic Endophyte Tall Fescue Offers Health Improvements to Horses

MaxQ®, a non-toxic endophyte Tall Fescue grass introduced to the cattle industry by Pennington Seed over10 years ago is performing exceptionally well and offers similar benefits to the horse industry.

For over 10 years now , cattlemen across the Southeast and Midwest have been able to witness the exceptional performance of MaxQ® in tall fescue. Reports coming in from a number of grazing trials across the Southeast have already proven that MaxQ® is a golden opportunity for the serious cattle producer.

When managed properly, MaxQ® has proven itself in toughness and persistence under extreme conditions such as drought and heavy grazing during drought conditions. It will also eliminate the problems associated with fescue toxicity. This ensures an immediate and long-lasting improvement in the overall health of the herd. This is exactly what the cattle producer is looking for -- higher average daily weight gains, increased productivity and greater profit potential. Similar health benefits have been recorded in horses through extensive university testing.

Traditionally, pregnant mares are removed from fescue pastures due to problems associated with fescue toxicity, which affects gestation and milk production and causes dystocia (foaling difficulty). These difficulties have long been associated with inadequate preparation of the reproductive tract, sometimes leading to prolonged gestation and fetal malpresentation.

Results from Mississippi State University concerning the effects of MaxQ ® on pregnant mares appear to be just as positive as the benefits of MaxQ ® to the cattle industry. There has been no negative impacts on mares grazing on the non-toxic endophyte fescue, while severe problems have developed in those grazing on traditional fescue infected with toxic endophytes.

Researcher Dr. Peter Ryan of MSU noted the following results of horses grazing on toxic fescue vs. horses grazing on MaxQ Tall Fescue Pasture Grass:

• Mares on the toxic fescues were shown to develop heavier placentas. This serious condition causes unborn foals to have difficulty receiving oxygen through the thick placenta. Mares grazing on MaxQ® fescue did not show the thickening of the placenta.
• All pregnant mares on toxic fescue showed no mammary gland development while mares on MaxQ® showed normal mammary gland development.
• The gland responsible for milk production in pregnant mares grazing on toxic fescue also showed lower prolactin gland hormone levels. These mares showed dramatically lower milk levels than average. Pregnant mares on MaxQ® were unaffected by prolactin gland hormone changes.
• Foaling dates of the mares on the toxic fescues were up to three weeks later than expected. The birthing of these foals was very difficult and all births were assisted. In contrast, the mares grazing the MaxQ® all foaled close to expected dates.

Read more information on MaxQ Tall Fescue Grass here on Fescue.com:

• MaxQ Planting Tips - Including How to Rid Pastures of Toxic Fescue
• MaxQ Tall Fescue Forage Benefits
• MaxQ Benefits From 2007
• Our Page Of Performance Charts & Links on MaxQ Tall Fescue
• The Economical Advantages Of Planting MaxQ

Also visit our informational website http://www.farmseeds.com/info/maxq.html for more on MaxQ and horses.

Sources: Pennington Seed, Inc. & Seedland.com