Abstract 369

Opasina,-BA

Int. Livestock Centre for Africa, c/o IITA, P.M.B. 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Tropical-Grasslands. 1985, 19: 3, 120-123; 6 ref.

Of 36 sheep grazing in four paddocks of B. decumbens, 21 showed some of the following symptoms within 10 days of the start of grazing: yellow coloration of the conjunctivae (14), conjunctivitis and corneal opacity (3), exudative dermatitis with facial and body alopecia (10), ataxia (5) and forelimb paralysis (3). Of 16 goats only one showed toxicity. 14 sheep died within 10 days of the first signs of toxicity. Fusarium moniliforme was isolated from herbage, but dosing sheep with F. moniliforme at 4 mg/kg body weight for three weeks had no toxic effect. Pithomyces chartarum was not isolated from herbage. The source of toxicity was assumed to be B. decumbens.