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Mycotoxin research2016; 32(4); 207-219; doi: 10.1007/s12550-016-0253-y

Contamination with ergot bodies (Claviceps purpurea sensu lato) of two horse pastures in Northern Germany.

Abstract: Because the occurrence of Claviceps in European pastures may have been overlooked to cause serious health problem for grazing animals, we documented the degree of Claviceps contamination in two horse pastures and estimated whether the horses could have ingested a critical quantity of alkaloids. We counted the Claviceps sclerotia and determined alkaloid levels using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Depending on the location, the number of sclerotia varied from 0.09 to 0.19 per square meter (central area) and from 0.23 to 55.8 per square meter (border strips). Alkaloid levels in individual sclerotia also varied in different genera of grasses, ranging from 0.98 ± 0.17 μg/kg in Agrostis sp. to 25.82 ± 9.73 μg/kg in Dactylis sp., equivalent to 0.98 μg/kg and 7.26 mg/kg. Sclerotia from Dactylis contained high levels of ergosine (0.209 % ± 0.100 %) and ergocristine (0.374 % ± 0.070 %). Depending on the localization in pastures, alkaloid levels in forage (dry matter, DM) ranged from 16.1 to 45.4 μg/kg in central areas and from 23.9 to 722 μg/kg in border strips. The amount of alkaloids that a horse could have ingested depended on its daily DM uptake, which was higher in the central areas (5.85 kg/day) than in the border strips (2.73 or 0.78 kg/day). In the central areas, this amount of alkaloids ranged from 94.2 to 265.9 μg/day; and in the border strips, from 65.3 (in 2.73 kg DM/day) to as much as 563.8 μg/day (in 0.78 kg DM/day). All these amounts are higher than the European averages for alkaloids ingested by horses via feedstuffs.
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Publication Date: 2016-08-05 PubMed ID: 27495979DOI: 10.1007/s12550-016-0253-yGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research examined the levels of fungal contamination by Claviceps purpurea, commonly referred to as ergot, in two horse pastures in Northern Germany. The study aimed to quantify the prevalence and intensity of this contamination, which is believed to be potentially harmful to grazing horses. It found that contamination levels vary depending on the location and type of grass present, with some areas posing a significantly higher health risk to horses than others.

Research Methodology

  • The team examined two horse pastures to investigate the presence of Claviceps purpurea, a fungus that forms alkaloid-containing bodies (sclerotia).
  • They counted the number of these sclerotia and used high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection to determine alkaloid levels.
  • They found varying concentrations of sclerotia in different areas of the pastures, with numbers ranging from 0.09 to 0.19 per square meter in central areas and from 0.23 to 55.8 in border strips.

Findings

  • The levels of alkaloids in individual sclerotia also varied among different types of grass, from 0.98 ± 0.17 μg/kg in Agrostis sp. to 25.82 ± 9.73 μg/kg in Dactylis sp.
  • Particularly, the sclerotia from Dactylis contained high levels of two specific alkaloids, ergosine and ergocristine.
  • Alkaloid levels in the pasture forage varied depending on the location, with amounts ranging from 16.1 to 45.4 μg/kg in central areas and 23.9 to 722 μg/kg in border strips.

Implication for Horses

  • The research suggested that the daily intake of alkaloids by a horse can depend on the area of the pasture where it grazes.
  • Ingested alkaloids were higher in the central areas (94.2 to 265.9 μg/day) than in the border strips (65.3 to as much as 563.8 μg/day).
  • The levels found exceed the European averages for alkaloids ingested by horses though food, suggesting potential health risks to horses grazing in these pastures.

Cite This Article

APA
Aboling S, Drotleff AM, Cappai MG, Kamphues J. (2016). Contamination with ergot bodies (Claviceps purpurea sensu lato) of two horse pastures in Northern Germany. Mycotoxin Res, 32(4), 207-219. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12550-016-0253-y

Publication

Mycotoxin research
ISSN: 1867-1632
NlmUniqueID: 8807334
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 32
Issue: 4
Pages: 207-219

Researcher Affiliations

Aboling, S
  • Institute for Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm, 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany. sabine.aboling@tiho-hannover.de.
Drotleff, A M
  • Institute for Food Toxicology and Analytical Chemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany.
Cappai, M G
  • Department of Agricultural Sciences, Research Unit of Animal Breeding Sciences, University of Sassari, via Vienna no. 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
Kamphues, J
  • Institute for Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm, 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Claviceps / chemistry
  • Claviceps / isolation & purification
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Ergot Alkaloids / analysis
  • Fluorometry
  • Germany
  • Horses
  • Poaceae / microbiology

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Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
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