EFFECT OF ERGOT FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES AND OF FRACTIONATED ERGOT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING CHICKS

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Abstract
A series of experiments was conducted on growing chicks to compare the toxic effects of ergot from different sources and to partially fractionate the toxic component(s) in ergot. Changes in body weight gain, feed consumption relative to control birds and mortality were used as indicators of toxicity. Seven-day-old male Leghorn chicks were offered feed containing ground ergot from rye, wheat and triticale for a period of 7 days. The ergot samples were obtained from different locations in Canada and were added to the diets so that the concentration of total alkaloids was either 45 or 90 mg/kg. The relative weight gains for birds fed diets containing 45 and 90 mg/kg total alkaloids varied considerably, ranging from 49 to 65% and from 18 to 42% of controls, respectively. The degree of depression in relative performance was not uniform among the different ergot samples when their concentration in the diet was increased. In a fractionation study, most of the toxic activity in the ergot was concentrated in the alkaloid fraction, suggesting that most of the toxic components are alkaloid related. There was also some loss of the alkaloids and the corresponding potency of toxic factors during the isolation. It may be concluded that the total alkaloid content of an ergot sample can be used to predict the effects of ergot on chick performance. However, it is not a highly accurate prediction due to the variable content and variable effects of the individual alkaloids in a given sample and because most of the toxic activity of ergot is associated with the alkaloid fraction. Key words: Ergot, alkaloids, chick performance, toxic component(s)