The effect of feeding endophyte infected tall fescue seed on reproductive performance in female rats.
Female Sprague-Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus) were randomly assigned to diets containing mixtures of rat chow and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) seed with 0, 5, 10, 20 and 40% infection levels of Acremonium coenophialum to assess the effect of the diets on the reproductive potential of rats. Rats fed 40% infected seed had decreased body weight, decreased mean percent body weight of uteri, failed to maintain normal estrous cycles and were unable to become pregnant. Animals fed a diet of 20% infected fescue seed had extended estrous cycles. There were no significant differences among the 0, 5 and 10% dietary treatments.
D000164:Acremonium; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D004971:Estrus; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D006109:Poaceae; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012098:Reproduction; D012639:Seeds