Ergot alkaloids are produced by Claviceps purpurea, a fungus that infects cereal grains and grasses. When the fungus overtakes the seed head, it forms characteristic black kernels called sclerotia ...

Ergot is a serious problem in feed this year. This parasitic fungus of the Claviceps genus starts its damage in the field, replacing one or more kernels in a mature grain head with a hard, dark mass ...

Ergot is an issue for cattle feeders this year, and even the best testing may miss it. Dr. Barry Blakely, a professor with the University of Saskatchewan’s veterinary biomedical department, says the ...

New research has found that feedlot cattle can develop problems when fed ergot even within allowable limits. Ergot is a fungus that can grow on certain grasses and grain plants when moisture ...

Ergot is creating larger financial losses than ever on western Canadian farms. Jim Menzies, a phytopathologist with Agriculture Canada, said the fungal disease, which infects rye, wheat and other ...

Ergot contamination is proving to be an issue of concern as this year, not just wheat, but oats, barley and triticale are testing positive for ergot. And, not just grain, but ergot is a concern in ...

“When talking to durum producers, they would say that (after) fusarium, ergot would be the No. 2 downgrading factor in durum wheat,” said Todd Hyra, SeCan’s business manager for Western Canada. The ...

If you’re a pedigreed seed grower and you’ve discovered that one of your seed fields, either wheat or barley, is infested with ergot, you have a problem but it’s not what most, if not all of you think ...

The 2010 cool, wet growing season was a contributing factor to a dramatic increase in ergot in wheat and barley last year, but the real cause is likely due to a nutrient deficiency, says an ...

Ergot causes three serious problems when fed to an animal. For females in the breeding herd, any ergot in grain or hay will cause an abortion. This applies to not just cows, but horses, pigs and ...