Experts from Scotland's Rural College are urging livestock farmers to be aware of an increased risk posed by feed grain contaminated with ergot, a fungal disease that can be toxic to animals and humans.

Ergot is a naturally occurring fungus spread by spores in the spring. If conditions are cool and wet, as they were in parts of Scotland this year, and this coincides with when the cereal flowers are open, there is a heightened risk of grain being contaminated. The fungus takes over individual grains in the seed head which, as the crop reaches harvest, can be identified by their distinctive black colour.

Grain processed for human consumption undergoes careful screening procedures and any crop containing more than 0.01 grams of ergot per kilogram of grain is banned from the food chain by UK law. The warning from Dr Basil Lowman of the College's SAC Consulting Division is about crops being fed exclusively to livestock - particularly home grown crops. "We have had reports of raised ergot levels on some farms in the Lothians and Borders", he explained.

Dr Lowman's colleague, Heather Stevenson from SAC Consulting Veterinary Services explains ergot poisoning is seen more frequently in cattle than sheep.

"The most common form occurs when contaminated grain is fed over a long period. Initially animals may be seen to be lame and have mild diarrhoea, but later the toxins restrict the blood flow to the animal's extremities, like the lower legs, tail and ears, which become gangrenous and given time, would die and slough off. There is no treatment for ergot poisoning."

SAC Consulting stress that ergots are extremely poisonous to humans so farmers or staff handling affected grain should always wear gloves and a mask, and be extremely careful with processing grain.

"There is evidence that grinding ergot and mixing it increases its toxicity," warns Dr Lowman. "Where small amounts of contaminated grain have to be fed it might be sensible to avoid processing and feed the grain whole."

SAC recommends that farmers assess as accurately as they can the level of contamination in the grain in terms of ergot pods per kg of grain. This can be done most simply by taking a dozen 1kg grain samples from all over the heap, spreading these out over a sheet of newspaper and counting the number of ergots.

Market round-up

Wallets Marts sold 1748 prime lambs in Castle Douglas on Tuesday to a top of £90 per head and 201.5p per kg to average 166.4p (no change on the week).

There were also 457 cast sheep forward when ewes sold to £87 for Suffolks and £48.50 for Blackfaces.