title: Metoclopramide and (or) cimetidine administration to sheep fed tall fescue.
abstract: Fifteen crossbred sheep were assigned randomly to 1 of 5 treatments: endophyte-free fescue diet (EF; 0% infected; 50% hay, 40% seed, 10% molasses); endophyte-infected diet (El; 95% infected; 50% hay, 40% seed, 10% molasses); El + 15 mg metoclopramide/kg body weight, 3 times/w; El + 9.0 mg cimetidine/kg body weight, twice daily; or El + metoclopramide + cimetidine. Both diets contained 92% dry matter (DM), 94% organic matter (OM) and 12% crude protein. All sheep were housed in individual metabolism stalls at 30 C, 14-h light:10-h dark for 18 d. Serum prolactin, respiration rate, heart rate or ear tip, coronary band and rectal temperatures were not affected by any of the treatments after 18 d (P > .10). No differences were detected in nutrient digestibilities except for treatment with metoclopramide + cimetidine, which produced decreased DM, OM and energy digestibilities. Sheep fed the El diet did not exhibit typical fescue toxicosis; therefore, the use of metoclopramide and(or) cimetidine to prevent toxicosis could not be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Rankins
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004879:Ergotamines / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008787:Metoclopramide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000382:microbiology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011897:Random Allocation; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D004879:Ergotamines; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; C076760:ergovaline; D002927:Cimetidine; D011388:Prolactin; D008787:Metoclopramide