Preference for Tannin-containing Supplements by Sheep Consuming Endophyte-infected Tall Fescue Hay

Tannins may bind to alkaloids in endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue and attenuate fescue toxicosis. To test this hypothesis, thirty-two 4-mo-old lambs were randomly assigned to 4 treatments (8 lambs/treatment) in a 2 by 2 factorial design that included a basal diet of tall fescue hay [E+ or endophyte-free (E–)] supplemented with (TS) or without (CS) bioactive Quebracho tannins. The concentration of ergovaline in E+ fed in 2 successive phases was 65 ± 21 µg/kg (Phase 1) and 128 ± 4 µg/kg (Phase 2). After exposure to hays and supplements, all lambs were offered choices between TS and CS and between E+ and E– hays. During Phase 1, lambs offered E+ consumed more hay than lambs offered E– (P = 0.03). Lambs on E+/TS displayed the greatest intake of hay and the least intake of TS (P \u3c 0.05). During Phase 2, when the concentration of ergovaline increased, lambs offered E+ consumed less hay than lambs fed E– (P \u3c 0.0001). Lambs on E+/CS consumed less hay than lambs on E–/CS (P = 0.02), but hay intake by lambs on E–/TS and E+/TS did not differ (P = 0.96). Lambs preferred CS to TS during preference tests (P \u3c 0.0001) and lambs on E+/TS ingested the least amounts of supplement TS and the greatest amounts of supplement CS (P = 0.001). Lambs offered E+ displayed greater body temperatures than lambs offered E– in both phases (P \u3c 0.05). When offered a choice among the 3 hays, lambs previously exposed to E+ preferred E+ (low content of ergovaline) \u3e E– \u3e E+ (greater content of ergovaline; P \u3c 0.001). Thus, decreased concentrations of ergovaline increased rectal temperatures, and affected intake of and preference for tannins and fescue hay. Quebracho tannins did not attenuate the effects of E+ on body temperature and feed intake. Ingestion of E+ reduced intake of quebracho tannins, suggesting that alkaloids in E+ antagonized ingestion of condensed tannins