Date Available
4-2-2012
Year of Publication
2011
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College
Agriculture
Department/School/Program
Animal Science
Advisor
Dr. Donald G. Ely
Co-Director of Graduate Studies
Dr. Debra K. Aaron
Abstract
Ten wether lambs were used to determine the effects of ergovaline consumption from endophyte infected tall fescue, on nutrient utilization and metabolism. Lambs were fed a diet of 23% endophyte free tall fescue seed (E-) and 77% concentrate from d -14 to -1 (adaptation phase). On d 0, five lambs were switched to an endophyte infected seed diet (E+) where they remained through d 14. Nutrient digestibilities tended to increase from adaptation through the acute (d 1 to 4) to subacute (d 10 to 14) phases when E- was fed. E+ digestibilities were highest (P < 0.05) in the acute phase. Lambs fed E+ had higher rectal temperatures in the acute (P < 0.01) and subacute phases (P < 0.05). Fecal recovery of ergovaline increased as day of collection increased in the acute and subacute phases. Lysergic acid fecal recovery increased with day of collection in the acute phase, but no effect was found in the subacute phase. Serum enzyme analyses did not indicate tissue damage from alkaloid consumption. These results demonstrate lambs try to adapt to endophyte infected fescue seed consumption through increased nutrient digestibilities and increased ergovaline and lysergic acid excretion.
Recommended Citation
Rickly Zinner, Rachel Ann, "ADAPTATION OF LAMBS TO AN ENDOPHYTE INFECTED TALL FESCUE SEED DIET" (2011). Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences. 3.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/animalsci_etds/3
