CLINICAL, PATHOLOGICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC ASPECTS OF FLOOD-PLAIN STAGGERS, A CORYNETOXICOSIS OF LIVESTOCK GRAZING AGROSTIS-AVENACEA

Flood plain staggers, a corynetoxicosis of grazing livestock, occurred on flood plains of the Darling river in northern New South Wales betw een spring 1990 and autumn 1991, associated with the grazing of Agrost is avenacea with diseased inflorescences. Over this period 1722 cattle , 2466 sheep and lp horses died on 31 farms, Clinical signs were simil ar in sheep and cattle, being characterised by intermittent episodes o f cerebral convulsion superimposed on varying degrees of cerebellar dy sfunction, Pathological changes were variable and non-specific, princi pally reflecting trauma and the generalised nature of the intoxication .