Tall fescue grows across more than 35 million acres of US pasture and hayland and is valued for its ability to survive drought, tolerate grazing and grow on difficult soils, but microscopic fungus living inside many tall fescue plants produces toxins that are associated with an estimated $1 billion in annual lost production for the US beef industry, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) . The agency describes the condition as fescue toxicosis, a livestock disorder linked to toxic compounds produced by the fungus.
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