Fayrer-Hosken R A, Hill N S, Heusner G L, Traylor-Wiggins W, Turner K
SoRhoVet Fertility Services, Georgia, USA.
Equine Vet J Suppl. 2013 Dec(45):44-7. doi: 10.1111/evj.12164.
Ergot alkaloids cause a range of pathological conditions in mares. There is no evaluation of the effects of ergot alkaloids from endophyte-infected tall fescue on the stallion breeding soundness examination spermiogram.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of ergot alkaloids from endophyte-infected tall fescue on the stallion's reproductive functions.
Crossover toxicology experiment.
Six stallions were fed either toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue seed or a nontoxic endophyte tall fescue seed (Flecha AR-542, MaxQ). The fescue seed content was compounded at 45% of a grain diet and the stallions were fed the grain diet at 1% of their body weight. The stallions were fed the diet for 70 days, then rested for at least 70 days (no fescue seed) and then fed fescue seed for a second 70 days. At regular intervals blood sampling and a breeding soundness examination were performed.
The mean time to maximal systemic toxicity was 8.33 h after starting toxic seed ingestion with a mean toxicity level of 49.98 ng alkaloid/mg creatinine. After cessation of feeding toxic seed, the systemic alkaloid concentration fell to control levels within 48 h. There were no significant changes in sperm motility, sperm concentration, sperm cell morphology, total number of sperm cells, number of breeding doses, testicular volume, baseline and human chorionic gonadotropin stimulated testosterone levels. There were no changes in core body temperature and superficial scrotal temperature. The ejaculate from stallions consuming endophyte-infected tall fescue seed had significantly lower gel-free volume (47.5 ± 4.1 ml) than stallions consuming nontoxic endophyte tall fescue seed (62.8 + 4.3 ml, P<0.01).
Ergot alkaloids decreased the gel-free volume of stallions consuming high levels of ergot alkaloids but statistically significant effects on the spermiogram of adult breeding stallions were not found.
麦角生物碱会在母马身上引发一系列病理状况。目前尚未评估内生真菌感染的高羊茅中的麦角生物碱对公马繁殖性能检测精子图谱的影响。
本研究的目的是调查内生真菌感染的高羊茅中的麦角生物碱对公马生殖功能的影响。
交叉毒理学实验。
给6匹公马分别喂食有毒的内生真菌感染的高羊茅种子或无毒的内生真菌高羊茅种子（弗莱查AR - 542，MaxQ）。高羊茅种子含量占谷物日粮的45%，公马按体重的1%喂食谷物日粮。公马喂食该日粮70天，然后休息至少70天（不喂高羊茅种子），之后再喂食高羊茅种子70天。定期进行采血和繁殖性能检测。
摄入有毒种子后，达到最大全身毒性的平均时间为8.33小时，平均毒性水平为49.98纳克生物碱/毫克肌酐。停止喂食有毒种子后，全身生物碱浓度在48小时内降至对照水平。精子活力、精子浓度、精子细胞形态、精子细胞总数、配种剂量数、睾丸体积、基础和人绒毛膜促性腺激素刺激后的睾酮水平均无显著变化。核心体温和阴囊表面温度也没有变化。食用内生真菌感染的高羊茅种子的公马射出的精液无凝胶体积（47.5±4.1毫升）显著低于食用无毒内生真菌高羊茅种子的公马（62.8 + 4.3毫升，P<0.01）。
麦角生物碱降低了摄入高剂量麦角生物碱的公马的无凝胶体积，但未发现对成年种公马精子图谱有统计学意义的影响。
