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- Title
Ergovaline in tall fescue and its effect on health, milk quality, biochemical parameters, oxidative status, and drug metabolizing enzymes of lactating ewes.
- Authors
Motupalli, P. R.; Sinclair, L. A.; Charlton, G. L.; Bleach, E. C.; Rutter, S. M.
- Abstract
Ergovaline (EV) produced by symbiotic association of Epichloe coenophiala with tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) causes toxicoses in livestock. In this study, 16 lactating ewes (BW 76.0 ±0.6 kg) were used to determine the effects of feeding endophyte-infected (FE+) or endophyte free (FE-) tall fescue hay on animal health and performances and to investigate the putative mechanisms of action of EV. The mean EV concentrations in FE± and FE- diets were 497 ± 52 and <5 pg/kg DM, respectively. Decreased hay consumption and BW were observed in the FE± group. Prolactin (PRL) concentrations decreased (P < 0.02) in the FE± group from d 3 to 28 of the study compared to the FE-group, but no consequences were observed on milk quantity or quality. Skin temperature and the thermocirculation index were lower (P < 0.05) in the FE± than in the FE-group from d 3 to 7, but this effect disappeared from d 14 to 28. Hematocrit, mineral and biochemical, and enzymatic analyses of plasma revealed no differences between the 2 groups. Measurement of oxidative damage and antioxidant enzyme activities revealed a decrease in the activities of plasma catalase (P < 0.05), kidney glutathione reductase and peroxidase and in kidney total glutathione and malondialdehyde contents (P < 0.02) in ewes fed FE±. Hepatic flavin monooxygenase enzyme activities decreased (P < 0.01) in ewes fed FE±, except for a marked increase in the demethylation of erythromycin. This activity is linked to cytochrome P4503A content and is known to be involved in ergot alkaloid metabolism. Glutathione 5-transferase activity in the kidneys decreased (P < 0.02) in the FE± group, whereas no difference was observed in uridine diphosphateglucuronosyltransferase activity in the liver or kidneys. The reversibility of the effect of FE± hay on skin temperature and the increase in erythromycin,V-demethylase activity may contribute to the relative resistance of ewes to EV toxicity.
- Subjects
ERGOVALINE; ERGOTAMINE (Drug); TALL fescue; FESCUE; EWES
- Publication
Journal of Animal Science, 2014, Vol 92, Issue 11, p5112
- ISSN
0021-8812
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2527/jas.2014-8046