The treatment of facial eczema can be a major expense on many farms around New Zealand, but first, lets talk about the background of facial eczema.

Facial eczema is caused by animals ingesting a toxin, Sporidesmin, which is produced by a fungus called Pithomyces Chartarum (we’ll call it PC for simplicity's sake). This fungus thrives on the debris at the bottom of ryegrass plants. The toxin produced by PC reduces the liver’s ability to deal with certain substances, the build up of which increases the effect of sunlight on the skin, which in turn results in facial eczema. 

Here are three ways you can reduce facial eczema in your herd:

1.   Increase the amount of good soil microbes

Like any living organism, the PC fungus requires suitable living conditions to survive. Soil microbes feed off debris on the soil surface. By increasing the amount of good soil microbes present in your soil you can reduce the amount of trash in the base of your pasture which means there is less food for PC and therefore less PC, less of the harmful toxin, and less facial eczema!

2.  Use pasture types which don't support PC

Some grass and crops thrive under the farming systems used by Abron and these also coincidentally don't support the PC fungus. This of course, means less harmful toxins and less facial eczema.

3.   Promote root growth and healthier plants

When your pasture has good, strong, deep root systems and is healthier, it is less likely to be overgrazed. When pasture is overgrazed, your animals start ingesting the base of the plant which is where the PC fungus lives. By ensuring your pasture doesn't become overgrazed you can dramatically reduce the amount of PC spores ingested by your animals and therefore the incidence of facial eczema.

By reducing the occurance of facial eczema you can reduce the need for zinc drenching, water treatment, or fungicidal spraying. This means that aside from reducing costs, you can also improve plant and animal health, reduce water and fertiliser usage, and increase carbon sequestration. From a farm performance perspective, it really is a win-win situation!