The effect of feeding broilers tall fescue grass (Festuca arundinacea) seeds containing the endophyte toxin ergovaline on ascites syndrome morbidity.

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate whether Neotyphodium coenophialum-infested tall fescue grass (Festuca arundinacea) seeds with high levels of ergovaline (EV) therein may indeed deleteriously affect the development of ascites syndrome (AS) in cold-stressed broilers. The mean ambient minimum and maximum temperatures in the cold pens for weeks 4, 5, 6 and 7 were 5.3 and 18.1, 8.0 and 17.0, 7.9 and 13.0 and 6.9 and 11.4°C, respectively. The mean ambient minimum and maximum temperatures in the warm pens for weeks 4, 5, 6 and 7 were 11.6 and 21.0, 14.1 and 20.4, 13.6 and 18.0 and 10.4 and 17.5°C, respectively. The PaO₂ (oxygen saturation of haemoglobin in arterial blood) was very high in all groups at all measurements. There was no significant effect of EV or temperature on heart rate. Expected correlations were found between sex of the birds and all BW measurements.