DISTRIBUTION:
It grows in all types of soil, especially sandy soil and fertile soil.
It is found in disturbed places such as road reserves, gardens and cultivated lands.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:
General: A short, mat-forming perennial grass, which spreads by means of slender stolons and rhizomes. It is a pioneer that will grow on bare soil and begin to rebuild the soil in disturbed places.
Leaves: The leaves point upwards.
Flowers: The inflorescence consists of 4 - 7 digitately arranged racemes and the spikelets are flat and without awns. September - May.
TOXIC PRINCIPLE:
• One possiblity is that ergot-infected seedheads (Claviceps cynodontis)
could be responsible for the kweek tremors.
• Another possibility is that an endophyte may produce tremorgenic mycotoxins.
SYNDROMES:
Kweek tremors, ABPE (Acute Bovine Pulmonary Oedema and Emphysema).
SYSTEMS AFFECTED:
Central nervous and respiratory systems.
CLINICAL SIGNS:
Kweek tremors have been observed in calves and sheep that have been grazing in pastures of predominantly Cynodon dactylon. Latent period of 1-2 days. Stimulation and exertion (exercise) often precipitate signs.
All stages of nervous derangement seen from:
• Hypersensitivity
• Mild involuntary trembling to spastic tremors of individual muscle groups
• Nodding of head, shaking of limbs or trunk
• Ataxia,
- stiff-legged gait,
- side-ways progression,
- falling and inability to get up to complete prostration (recumbency)
Some cases show hypersensitivity and paddling movements like heartwater. Adopt position of sternal recumbency.
• Except for outspoken cases, animals remain alert and retain their appetites.
• When withdrawn from infected pastures recover rapidly over a few days.
• Usually a non-fatal syndrome.
NECROPSY:
• Nothing specific
• For ABPE return to ABPE file
TREATMENT:
• Symptomatic
• Remove from infected pasture and allow recovery.
