2012- 21st Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Symposium

Session Time : 4/10/12 12:15 PM - 4/10/12 1:30 PM

Content Area : Animal Science

Poster Appointment: , -

Student Presenters :
Amy Elizabeth Lamb Animal Science

Mentors and/or Co-Authors :
Joan Eisemann Animal Science

Abstract Title : The Effects of Toxic Endophyte Positive Fescue Seed on Purine Derivatives in Angus Steers

Abstract :
We studied the effect of toxic endophyte positive fescue seed and fescue toxicity on the levels of purine derivatives (allantoin and uric acid) and creatinine in bovine urine. We hypothesized that fescue toxicity in cattle could influence the amount of microbial fermentation taking place in the rumen and therefore alter the concentration of purine derivatives while not altering creatinine. We conducted an experiment using eight Angus steers in which four of the steers were fed endophyte positive fescue seed and the other four were fed endophyte negative fescue seed as a control in period one. In the second period, the treatments were reversed. A complete 48 hour collection of urine from the steers was completed including additional spot samples. The samples and standards were then analyzed for concentrations of allantoin, uric acid, and creatinine using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The total collection samples were used to identify any trends in purine derivatives that developed in response to the different treatments. During analysis, creatinine levels were used to account for differences in body weight and urine volume while quantifying the concentration of purine derivatives in the spot samples. Our results suggest possible inconsistencies in the methodology used to calculate the ratio of purine derivatives to creatinine and/or that fescue toxicity causes a decrease in microbial fermentation in the rumen. Further research will need to be completed in order to gain a total understanding of the effect fescue toxicity has on purine derivatives and creatinine levels.