title: Ergovaline in tall fescue and its effect on health, milk quality, biochemical parameters, oxidative status, and drug metabolizing enzymes of lactating ewes.
abstract: 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 malondialdehyde 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 erythromycin N-demethylase activity may contribute to the relative resistance of ewes to EV toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, UR Mycotoxicologie, F-31076 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zbib
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, UR Mycotoxicologie, F-31076 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Repussard
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, UR Mycotoxicologie, F-31076 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tardieu
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, INRA UMR1331 Toxalim, F-31076 Toulouse France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Priymenko
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, INRA UMR1331 Toxalim, F-31076 Toulouse France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Domange
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, UR Mycotoxicologie, F-31076 Toulouse, France p.guerre@envt.fr.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guerre
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D060026:Endophytes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D055329:Epichloe / Q000378:metabolism; D004879:Ergotamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D031751:Festuca / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic / Q000187:drug effects*; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000187:drug effects*; D009181:Mycoses / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D004879:Ergotamines; C076760:ergovaline; D011388:Prolactin; D051544:Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; D005982:Glutathione Transferase
keywords: drug metabolizing enzymes; endophyte-infected tall fescue; ergovaline; ewes; oxidative status; prolactin