EFFECTS OF EXTRACTS OF TOXIC FESCUE GIVEN ORALLY TO RATS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 45  (2) , 173-176
Abstract
Fresh fescue (F. arundinacea) was obtained from farms where toxicity was encountered in cattle grazing the fescue. The fescue was dried in a forced draft oven at 60.degree. C and then ground. The dry ground fescue was extracted with ether and then re-extracted with 1% NaHCO3, NaOH or HCl. The residual ether was evaporated and the residue resuspended in ethyl alcohol diluted with water 1% (control), and 1 ml of these fescue extracts were given daily to rats via stomach tube beginning the 7th day after breeding. Two of 7 rats given the 1% NaHCO3 fraction of the extract of fescue gave birth to live young. One litter contained only 5 pups, with 1 being stillborn. Of 7 rats, 3 aborted, 1 gave birth to 7 stillborn pups and 1 female died during birth. All females fed the 1% NaHCO3 and the other fescue extracts gave birth to normal litters. Rats fed the ether extract which was re-extracted with 1% NaHCO3, acidified and re-extracted with ether, dried and resuspended in 1% NaHCO3 produced similar reproductive problems as those rats given the ether extract of fescue which was re-extracted only once with 1% NaHCO3. The toxic entity(s) of fescue can be extracted and infertility/abortion/stillbirth ratio of rats may be used as a bioassay.