The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of ergot contaminated feed concentrate at differing levels of feed intake on ruminal fermentation, and on various physiological parameters of dairy cows. Twelve double fistulated (in the rumen and the proximal duodenum) Holstein Friesian cows were fed either a control diet (on a dry matter (DM) base: 60% maize silage, 40% concentrate) or a diet containing ergot alkaloids (concentrate contained 2.25% ergot resulting in an ergot alkaloid concentration of the daily ration between 505 and 620 (μg/kg DM) over a period of four weeks. Daily feed amounts were adjusted to the current performance which resulted in a dry matter intake (DMI) variation between 6.0 and 18.5 kg/day. The resulting ergot alkaloid intake varied between 4.1 and 16.3 (μg/kg body weight when the ergot contaminated concentrate was fed.Concentrations of isovalerate, propionate and ammonia nitrogen in the rumen fluid were significantly influenced by ergot feeding, and the amount of ruminally undegraded protein, as well as the fermentation of neutral detergent fibre, tended to increase with the ergot supplementation at higher levels of feed intake, which might indicate a shift in the microbial population. Other parameters of ruminal fermentation such as ruminai pH, fermented organic matter as a percentage of intake, or the amount of non-ammonia nitrogen measured at the duodenum were not significantly influenced by ergot feeding. The activities of liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase) in the serum were not affected by ergot feeding. The rectal measured body temperature of the cows significantly increased after ergot administration (p=0.019). Thus, body temperature can be regarded as a sensitive parameter to indicate ergot exposure of dairy cows.

中文翻译：

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采食量和麦角污染浓缩物对瘤胃发酵和奶牛生理参数的影响。

本研究的目的是检查不同采食量下麦角污染的浓缩饲料对瘤胃发酵和奶牛各种生理参数的影响。12 头双瘘管（在瘤胃和十二指肠近端）荷斯坦弗里斯兰奶牛被饲喂对照日粮（以干物质 (DM) 为基础：60% 玉米青贮饲料，40% 浓缩物）或含有麦角生物碱的日粮（浓缩物含有 2.25 % 麦角导致麦角生物碱浓度在 505 和 620 (μg/kg DM) 之间超过 4 周。每日饲料量根据当前性能进行调整，导致干物质摄入量 (DMI) 在6.0 和 18.5 公斤/天。由此产生的麦角生物碱摄入量在 4.1 和 16 之间变化。施用麦角后，奶牛的直肠测量体温显着升高（p=0.019）。因此，体温可被视为指示奶牛麦角暴露的敏感参数。