Beef cattle that respond differently to fescue toxicosis have distinct gastrointestinal tract microbiota. 2020

Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States of America.

Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) is a widely used forage grass which shares a symbiosis with the endophytic fungus Epichloë coenophiala. The endophyte produces an alkaloid toxin that provides herbivory, heat and drought resistance to the grass, but can cause fescue toxicosis in grazing livestock. Fescue toxicosis can lead to reduced weight gain and milk yields resulting in significant losses to the livestock industry. The objective of this study was to identify bacterial and fungal communities associated with fescue toxicosis tolerance. In this trial, 149 Angus cows across two farms were continuously exposed to toxic, endophyte-infected, fescue for a total of 13 weeks. Of those 149 cows, 40 were classified into either high (HT) or low (LT) tolerance groups according to their growth performance (weight gain). 20 HT and 20 LT cattle balanced by farm were selected for amplicon sequencing to compare the fecal microbiota of the two tolerance groups. This study reveals significantly (q<0.05) different bacterial and fungal microbiota between HT and LT cattle, and indicates that fungal phylotypes may be important for an animal's response to fescue toxicosis: We found that fungal phylotypes affiliating to the Neocallimastigaceae, which are known to be important fiber-degrading fungi, were consistently more abundant in the HT cattle. Whereas fungal phylotypes related to the genus Thelebolus were more abundant in the LT cattle. This study also found more pronounced shifts in the microbiota in animals receiving higher amounts of the toxin. We identified fungal phylotypes which were consistently more abundant either in HT or LT cattle and may thus be associated with the respective animal's response to fescue toxicosis. Our results thus suggest that some fungal phylotypes might be involved in mitigating fescue toxicosis.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008129 Lolium Common member of the Gramineae family used as cattle FODDER. It harbors several fungi and other parasites toxic to livestock and people and produces allergenic compounds, especially in its pollen. The most commonly seen varieties are L. perenne, L. multiflorum, and L. rigidum. Ryegrass,Rye Grass,Grass, Rye
D002417 Cattle Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor. Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D004876 Ergot Alkaloids Alkaloids originally isolated from the ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea (Hypocreaceae). They include compounds that are structurally related to ergoline (ERGOLINES) and ergotamine (ERGOTAMINES). Many of the ergot alkaloids act as alpha-adrenergic antagonists. Clavine Alkaloids,Alkaloids, Clavine,Alkaloids, Ergot
D005243 Feces Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D000069196 Gastrointestinal Microbiome All of the microbial organisms that naturally exist within the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. Enteric Bacteria,Gastric Microbiome,Gastrointestinal Flora,Gastrointestinal Microbial Community,Gastrointestinal Microbiota,Gastrointestinal Microflora,Gut Flora,Gut Microbiome,Gut Microbiota,Gut Microflora,Intestinal Flora,Intestinal Microbiome,Intestinal Microbiota,Intestinal Microflora,Bacteria, Enteric,Flora, Gastrointestinal,Flora, Gut,Flora, Intestinal,Gastric Microbiomes,Gastrointestinal Microbial Communities,Gastrointestinal Microbiomes,Gastrointestinal Microbiotas,Gut Microbiomes,Gut Microbiotas,Intestinal Microbiomes,Intestinal Microbiotas,Microbial Community, Gastrointestinal,Microbiome, Gastric,Microbiome, Gastrointestinal,Microbiome, Gut,Microbiome, Intestinal,Microbiota, Gastrointestinal,Microbiota, Gut,Microbiota, Intestinal,Microflora, Gastrointestinal,Microflora, Gut,Microflora, Intestinal
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001203 Ascomycota A phylum of fungi which have cross-walls or septa in the mycelium. The perfect state is characterized by the formation of a saclike cell (ascus) containing ascospores. Most pathogenic fungi with a known perfect state belong to this phylum. Ascomycetes,Cochliobolus,Sclerotinia,Ascomycete,Ascomycotas,Sclerotinias
D013559 Symbiosis The relationship between two different species of organisms that are interdependent; each gains benefits from the other or a relationship between different species where both of the organisms in question benefit from the presence of the other. Endosymbiosis,Commensalism,Mutualism
D014118 Toxins, Biological Specific, characterizable, poisonous chemicals, often PROTEINS, with specific biological properties, including immunogenicity, produced by microbes, higher plants (PLANTS, TOXIC), or ANIMALS. Biological Toxins
D016002 Discriminant Analysis A statistical analytic technique used with discrete dependent variables, concerned with separating sets of observed values and allocating new values. It is sometimes used instead of regression analysis. Analyses, Discriminant,Analysis, Discriminant,Discriminant Analyses

Related Publications

Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
March 1995, Journal of animal science,
Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
July 2005, Reproductive biology,
Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
August 2019, Applied and environmental microbiology,
Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
February 2020, Journal of animal science,
Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
October 2020, Translational animal science,
Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
July 2017, Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association,
Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
November 1993, Journal of animal science,
Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
May 1987, DTW. Deutsche tierarztliche Wochenschrift,
Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
December 2015, Journal of animal science,
Lucas R Koester, and Daniel H Poole, and Nick V L Serão, and Stephan Schmitz-Esser
January 1984, Journal of dairy science,
Copied contents to your clipboard!