Journal Article

Ergovaline in tall fescue and its effect on health, milk quality, biochemical parameters, oxidative status, and drug metabolizing enzymes of lactating ewes

Zbib, Nasrallah, MYCOTOXICOLOGIE ; Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT) ; Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP) ; Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP) ; Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT), Prévention et promotion de la cancérogénèse par les aliments (ToxAlim-PPCA) ; ToxAlim (ToxAlim) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3) ; Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT) ; Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP) ; Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP) ; Université de Toulouse (UT)-Ecole d'Ingénieurs de Purpan (INP - PURPAN) ; Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP) ; Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut National

2014

Overview

Ergovaline (EV) produced by symbiotic association of Epichloë 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 µg/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 malo-ndialdehyde 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 S-transferase activity in the kidneys decreased (P < 0.02) in the FE+ group, whereas no difference was observed in uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase activity in the liver or kidneys. The reversibility of the effect of FE+ hay on skin temperature and the increase in erythromy-cin N-demethylase activity may contribute to the relative resistance of ewes to EV toxicity.

• Publisher: HAL CCSD,American Society of Animal Science
• Subject: Animal biology / Animal Feed - adverse effects / Animal Feed - microbiology / Animals / Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A - metabolism / Diet - adverse effects / Diet - veterinary / Endophytes - isolation & purification / Endophytes - metabolism / Epichloe - metabolism / Ergotamines - metabolism / Ergotamines - pharmacology / Female / Festuca - metabolism / Festuca - microbiology / Glutathione Transferase - metabolism / Inactivation, Metabolic - drug effects / Lactation - drug effects / Lactation - physiology / Life Sciences / Milk - drug effects / Mycoses - metabolism / Mycoses - physiopathology / Mycoses - veterinary / Oxidative Stress - drug effects / Prolactin - metabolism / Sheep - physiology / Sheep Diseases - metabolism / Sheep Diseases - physiopathology / Veterinary medicine and animal Health
• ISBN: 0003446226000