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Abstract

Animals consuming endophyte-infected tall fescue exhibit reduced weight gain and feed intake, with the most severe effects occurring during summer months. Heat stress and plane of nutrition have independent effects on metabolic activity (Birkelo et al., 1991; O’Brien et al., 2010) while, ergot alkaloids reduce blood flow to and nutrient absorption from the rumen (Foote et al., 2012). This research was designed to separate the effects of alkaloid consumption from those of reduced intake and environmental temperature.

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References

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Correspondence to A. F. Koontz .

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James W. Oltjen Ermias Kebreab Hélène Lapierre

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© 2013 Wageningen Academic Publishers The Netherlands

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Koontz, A.F. et al. (2013). Effect of fescue toxicosis on nitrogen and energy balance in Holstein steers. In: Oltjen, J.W., Kebreab, E., Lapierre, H. (eds) Energy and protein metabolism and nutrition in sustainable animal production. Energy and protein metabolism and nutrition in sustainable animal production, vol 134. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-781-3_7

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