Date Available
9-21-2017
Year of Publication
2017
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College
Agriculture, Food and Environment
Department/School/Program
Animal and Food Sciences
Faculty
Dr. David L. Harmon
Faculty
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