Date Available
9-21-2017
Year of Publication
2017
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Document Type
Master's Thesis
College
Agriculture, Food and Environment
Department/School/Program
Animal and Food Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. David L. Harmon
Abstract
Fescue toxicosis is problematic for ruminant livestock, causing weight loss and low productivity when fed endophyte-infected forages. Complete underlying mechanisms of toxicosis are unknown therefore; the objective of the study was to determine if ruminally dosed ergot alkaloids impact rumen motility. Cannulated steers were pair-fed a forage diet and ruminally dosed with endophyte-free (E-) or endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue seed. An 8-h period of rumen motility collection began 4-h after feeding by monitoring pressure change via a wireless telemetry and transducer system. In experiment 1, steers were paired by weight and assigned to E- or E+ treatment. Overall, E+ steers had more frequent contractions. On d 7 - 9, both treatments had lower frequencies and E- steers had greater amplitude of contractions, which corresponded with decreased DM intake. In experiment 2 steers remained in pair, but switched treatment. During the 57 d E+ steers received titrated levels of ergovaline + ergovalinine. There was no difference between treatments for frequency or amplitude of contractions, but increasing dosage, decreased frequency (d 1 - 44) and amplitude, coinciding with lower DM intakes. Alteration in rumen motility associated with changes in intake may be responsible for the decreased productivity in ruminants consuming E+ forages.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2017.396
Recommended Citation
Riccioni, Kara, "INFLUENCE OF ERGOT ALKALOIDS ON RUMEN MOTILITY: TIME AND CONCENTRATION OF ERGOVALINE + ERGOVALININE REQUIRED TO IMPACT RETICULORUMEN MOTILITY" (2017). Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences. 77.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/animalsci_etds/77