Ergot alkaloid exposure during gestation alters: II. Uterine and umbilical artery vasoactivity1.

ABSTRACT: Previous research has shown that livestock exposed to ergot alkaloids results in decreased vasoactivity of gastrointestinal and peripheral vasculature. Little is known regarding the effect ergot alkaloid exposure during gestation may have on vasculature supporting the fetus. The objective of this study was to evaluate contractile responses of uterine and umbilical arteries collected from ewes consuming ergot alkaloids during gestation. On day 35 of gestation, 36 Suffolk ewes (78.24 ± 9.5 kg) were assigned to endophyte-infected (E+) or endophyte-free (E-) tall fescue seed treatments that were fed either throughout or switched on day 86 of gestation, creating four seed treatments E+E+, E+E-, E-E+, and E-E-. Ewes were fed E+ tall fescue seed to provide 1.77 mg of total ergovaline ⋅ hd-1 ⋅ d-1

SUBMITTER: Klotz JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6447357 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature