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Reynolds MR, Stanford K, Meléndez DM, Schwartzkopf-Genswein KS, McAllister TA, Blakley BR, McKinnon JJ, Ribeiro GO. Effect of continuous or intermittent feeding of ergot contaminated grain in a mash or pelleted form on the performance and health of feedlot beef steers. J Anim Sci 2024; 102:skae060. [PMID: 38442241 PMCID: PMC10981080 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skae060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of feeding ergot contaminated grain continuously or intermittently through backgrounding (BG) and finishing (FN) in a mash or pelleted supplement on the growth performance, health and welfare parameters, and carcass characteristics of feedlot beef steers. Sixty black Angus steers (300 ± 29.4 kg BW) were used in a complete randomized 238-d study. Steers were stratified by weight and randomly assigned to four different diets (15 steers/treatment) and individually housed. Treatments included: (1) control [CON; no added ergot alkaloids (EA)], (2) continuous ergot mash (CEM; fed continuously at 2 mg total EA/kg of DM), (3) intermittent ergot mash (IEM; fed at 2 mg total EA/kg of DM, during the first week of each 21-d period and CON for the remaining 2 wk, this feeding pattern was repeated in each period), and (4) intermittent ergot pellet (IEP; fed at 2 mg of total EA/kg of DM as a pellet during the first week of each 21-d period and CON for the remaining 2 wk as described for IEM). Steers were fed barley based BG diets containing 40% concentrate:60% silage (DM basis) for 84 d (four 21-d periods), transitioned over 28 d (no ergot fed) to an FN diet (90% concentrate:10% silage DM basis) and fed for 126 d (six 21-d periods) before slaughter. In the BG phase, steer DMI (P < 0.01, 7.45 vs. 8.05 kg/d) and ADG (P < 0.01) were reduced for all EA diets compared to CON. The CEM fed steers had lower ADG (P < 0.01, 0.735 vs. 0.980 kg) and shrunk final BW (P < 0.01, 350 vs. 366 kg) than CON. CEM had lower gain:feed (P < 0.07, 0.130 vs. 0.142) than CON. In the FN phase, steer DMI (P < 0.01, 9.95 vs. 11.05 kg/d) and ADG (P = 0.04) were also decreased for all EA fed steers compared to CON. Total shrunk BW gain (P = 0.03, 202.5 vs. 225.2 kg), final BW (P = 0.03, 617.9 vs. 662.2 kg), and carcass weight (P = 0.06) decreased for all EA fed steers compared to CON. The percentage of AAA carcasses decreased for all EA fed steers (P < 0.01, 46.7 vs. 93.3%) compared to CON. EA fed steers had increased rectal temperatures (P < 0.01, 39.8 vs. 39.4 °C) compared to CON. Pelleting ergot contaminated grain did not reduce the impact of ergot alkaloids on any of the measured parameters during BG or FN. Continuously or intermittently feeding ergot contaminated diets (2 mg total EA/kg of DM) significantly reduced intake, growth performance, and carcass weight, with minimal impact on blood parameters in feedlot steers. Pelleting was not an effective method of reducing ergot toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Reynolds
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kim Stanford
- Biological Sciences Department, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Daniela M Meléndez
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, AB, Canada
| | | | - Tim A McAllister
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, AB, Canada
| | - Barry R Blakley
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - John J McKinnon
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Gabriel O Ribeiro
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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Alfaro GF, Palombo V, D'Andrea M, Cao W, Zhang Y, Beever J, Muntifering RB, Pacheco WJ, Rodning SP, Wang X, Moisá SJ. Hepatic transcript profiling in beef cattle: Effects of rumen-protected niacin supplementation. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289409. [PMID: 37535643 PMCID: PMC10399858 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of our study was to assess the effect of rumen-protected niacin supplementation on the transcriptome of liver tissue in growing Angus × Simmental steers and heifers through RNA-seq analysis. Consequently, we wanted to assess the known role of niacin in the physiological processes of vasodilation, detoxification, and immune function in beef hepatic tissue. Normal weaned calves (~8 months old) were provided either a control diet or a diet supplemented with rumen-protected niacin (6 g/hd/d) for a 30-day period, followed by a liver biopsy. We observed a significant list of changes at the transcriptome level due to rumen-protected niacin supplementation. Several metabolic pathways revealed potential positive effects to the animal's liver metabolism due to administration of rumen-protected niacin; for example, a decrease in lipolysis, apoptosis, inflammatory responses, atherosclerosis, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and vasodilation-related pathways. Therefore, results from our study showed that the liver transcriptional machinery switched several metabolic pathways to a condition that could potentially benefit the health status of animals supplemented with rumen-protected niacin. In conclusion, based on the results of our study, we can suggest the utilization of rumen-protected niacin supplementation as a nutritional strategy could improve the health status of growing beef cattle in different beef production stages, such as backgrounding operations or new arrivals to a feedlot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gastón F Alfaro
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Valentino Palombo
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Mariasilvia D'Andrea
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Wenqi Cao
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Beever
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Russell B Muntifering
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
- Cooperative Extension Service, University of Kentucky, Kentucky, Lexington, United States of America
| | - Wilmer J Pacheco
- Department of Poultry Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Soren P Rodning
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, United States of America
| | - Sonia J Moisá
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
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GF A, RB M, WJ P, SP R, SJ M. Effects of endophyte-infected tall fescue on performance of genotyped pregnant beef cows supplemented with rumen-protected niacin. Livest Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2023.105206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
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Alfaro GF, Moisá SJ. Fescue toxicosis: a detrimental condition that requires a multiapproach solution. Anim Front 2022; 12:23-28. [PMID: 36268172 PMCID: PMC9564997 DOI: 10.1093/af/vfac063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gastón F Alfaro
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
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Stanford K, Schwartzkopf-Genswein KS, Meléndez DM, Ngo S, Harding M, McAllister TA, Schatzmayr D, Swift ML, Blakley B, Ribeiro GO. Effects of Heating, Pelleting, and Feed Matrix on Apparent Concentrations of Cereal Ergot Alkaloids in Relation to Growth Performance and Welfare Parameters of Backgrounding Beef Steers. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14090580. [PMID: 36136518 PMCID: PMC9500729 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14090580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
As the contamination of cereal grains with ergot has been increasing in Western Canada, studies were undertaken to evaluate the impacts of heating (60, 80, 120, or 190 °C) alone or in combination with pelleting on concentrations of ergot alkaloids. Fifteen samples of ergot-contaminated grain from Alberta and Saskatchewan were assayed for R and S epimers of six alkaloids (ergocryptine, ergocristine, ergocornine, ergometrine, ergosine, and ergotamine) using HPLC MS/MS. Five samples with distinct alkaloid profiles were then selected for heating and pelleting studies. Heating resulted in a linear increase (p < 0.05) of total R and total S epimers with increasing temperature, although some individual R epimers were stable (ergometrine, ergosine, ergotamine). Pelleting also increased (p < 0.05) concentrations of total R and total S epimers detected, although ergometrine concentration decreased (p < 0.05) after pelleting. A feeding study arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial structure used 48 backgrounding Angus-cross steers fed four different diets: (1) Control Mash (CM, no added ergot), (2) Control Pellet (CP), (3) Ergot Mash (EM), or (4) Ergot Pellet (EP). Pelleting heated the ergot to 90−100 °C under 4 bars pressure, but the ergot used in the feeding study was not otherwise heated. Alkaloid concentrations of EM and EP varied by up to 1.1 mg/kg depending on the feed matrix assayed. No differences among treatments were noted for growth performance, feed intake, feed conversion, concentrations of serum prolactin and haptoglobin, hair cortisol, or in temperatures of extremities measured by infrared thermography. The only negative impacts of ergot alkaloids were on blood parameters indicative of reduced immune function or chronic inflammation. Pelleting did not heighten the negative clinical outcomes of ergot, although alkaloid concentrations of pelleted feed increased depending on the matrix assayed. It was hypothesized that the heat and pressure associated with pelleting may enhance the recovery of alkaloids from pelleted feed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Stanford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr. Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
- Correspondence:
| | - Karen S. Schwartzkopf-Genswein
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research and Development Center, 5401-1st Ave. S. Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada
| | - Daniela M. Meléndez
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research and Development Center, 5401-1st Ave. S. Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada
| | - Skyler Ngo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr. Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Michael Harding
- Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development, Crop Diversification Center South, Brooks, AB T1R 1E6, Canada
| | - Tim A. McAllister
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research and Development Center, 5401-1st Ave. S. Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada
| | - Dian Schatzmayr
- DSM–BIOMIN Research Center, Technopark 1, 3430 Tulln, Austria
| | - Mary Lou Swift
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada
| | - Barry Blakley
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A2, Canada
| | - Gabriel O. Ribeiro
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada
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