Life Sciences Commons^™

Development Of A Methodology To Measure The Effect Of Ergot Alkaloids On Forestomach Motility Using Real-Time Wireless Telemetry, Amanda M. Egert, James L. Klotz, Kyle R. Mcleod, David L. Harmon

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

The objectives of these experiments were to characterize rumen motility patterns of cattle fed once daily using a real-time wireless telemetry system, determine when to measure rumen motility with this system, and determine the effect of ruminal dosing of ergot alkaloids on rumen motility. Ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (n = 8) were fed a basal diet of alfalfa cubes once daily. Rumen motility was measured by monitoring real-time pressure changes within the rumen using wireless telemetry and pressure transducers. Experiment 1 consisted of three 24-h rumen pressure collections beginning immediately after feeding. Data were recorded, stored, and analyzed using …

Ergovaline Stability In Tall Fescue Based On Sample Handling And Storage Methods, Krista La Moen Lea, Lori Smith, Cynthia Gaskill, Robert Coleman, S. Ray Smith

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Ergovaline is an ergot alkaloid produced by the endophyte Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan-Jones and Gams) found in tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinacea (Schreb.) Dumort.] and blamed for a multitude of livestock disorders. Ergovaline is known to be unstable and affected by many variables. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of sample handling and storage on the stability of ergovaline in tall fescue samples. Fresh tall fescue was collected from a horse farm in central Kentucky at three harvest dates and transported on ice to the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Plant material was frozen in liquid …

Forage News [2014-07], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Forage Legend Celebrates 96th Birthday
• Forage Field Day
• Late Summer Seedings
• Forage Extension Funding: Changes & Challenges
• Time to Begin Stockpiling Tall Fescue
• Which Forage Events do you Prefer to Attend
• What's the Next Major Issue Facing Agriculture
• Kentucky Tied for 7th in Total Acres Harvested for Hay
• Do Foliar Fungicides Improve Alfalfa Forage Production?
• Dr. Jong Duk Kim - Visiting Scientist from South Korea

The Influence Of Tall Fescue Cultivar And Endophyte Status On Root Exudate Chemistry And Rhizosphere Processes, Jingqi Guo

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.) is a cool-season perennial grass used in pastures throughout the Southeastern United States. The grass can harbor a fungal endophyte (Epichloë coenophiala) thought to provide the plant with enhanced resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. However, the alkaloids produced by the common variety of the endophyte cause severe animal health issues resulting in a considerable amount of research focused on eliminating the toxic class of alkaloids while retaining the positive abiotic and biotic stress tolerance attributes of the other alkaloids. In doing so, very little attention has been paid to the …

Effect Of Dietary Exposure To Ergot Alkaloids On Contractility Of Bovine Mesenteric Vasculature And Rumen Motility, Amanda M. Egert

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue grass has been associated with fescue toxicosis, a costly syndrome characterized by poor cattle performance and health resulting in significant production losses. The fungal endophyte produces ergot alkaloids, which help the grass thrive in poor conditions but are toxic to mammals. A number of symptoms of fescue toxicosis can be related to vasoconstriction of bovine core, peripheral, and foregut vasculature. The first part of this series of experiments demonstrated ergot alkaloids were also vasoactive in midgut vasculature, with the exception of lysergic acid. Additionally, prior dietary exposure to ergot alkaloids decreased the contractile response of mesenteric …