@conference {39912,
	title = {Perennial ryegrass staggers research - an overview},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {44},
	year = {1984},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {181-184},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Defoliation patterns of sheep grazing a staggers-prone, ryegrass-dominant pasture were studied at Palmerston North during the 1982-83 summer-autumn period. The 0.4 ha pasture was grazed for 5 to 8 days each month from November to May by groups of 30 to 50 sheep. Herbage at dung patch sites present in January covered about 25\% of the pasture area and remained ungrazed until May. Urine-patch sites covered about 35\% (16 to 45\%) of the pasture area and although urine- patch herbage was grazed before other types, differences were detected within this category: the most recent urine-patches were defoliated sooner and to a greater extent than older ones. Ryegrass at interexcreta sites was defoliated less frequently and to a lesser extent than that at urine-patch sites, except for those interexcreta sites that also contained white clover. Concentrations of the ryegrass endophyte, Acremonium loliae were higher in live ryegrass sheath at urine-patch than at inter-excreta sites. The results are discussed in relation to the acquisition of neurotoxins by sheep.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Mortimer PH and Young PW and di Menna ME}
}
