Complications

• Common problems caused by fescue toxicity in broodmares include thickened and retained placentas, failure to lactate, prolonged gestation and abortion of the foal.
  
  

Prevention

• The best way to avoid the dangerous outcomes of fescue toxicity is to remove pregnant mares from pastures with fescue grass 60 to 90 days before foaling.
  
  

Fescue Hay

• Fescue hay can also carry the harmful fungus. If the mare is fed hay in place of pasture grass, feed hay that is cut from pastures without fescue.
  
  

Diagnosis

• Pasture grass samples can be analyzed to see if the fungus that causes fescue toxicity is present. Because these tests can be unreliable, most veterinarians will treat a mare exposed to fescue regardless of the lab results.
  
  

Treatment

• The impact of fescue toxicity on a pregnant mare can often be reduced or eliminated with treatment that involves a drug called Domperidone. A mare that has been exposed to fescue grass in the last trimester of her pregnancy should be evaluated by a veterinarian.