Assessment of ergot (Claviceps purpurea) exposure in pregnant and postpartum beef cows

Cows were fed ration for 9 weeks containing 5, 48, 201 and 822µg/kg ergot alkaloids. The objective was to evaluate the impact of ergot consumption in beef cow-calf operations. Ergot alkaloids up to 822µg/kg did not alter the weight of peripartum and postpartum beef cows (P=0.93) or nursing calves (P=0.08), rectal temperature (P=0.16) or plasma prolactin concentrations (P=0.30) at moderate ambient temperatures. Ergot did not influence the time (>1ng/mL; P=0.79) or the progesterone concentration (P=0.38) at the time of first postpartum rise or the size of the first (14±0.6mm; P=0.40) and second (13±0.5mm; P=0.41) follicles to ovulate. The maximum size of the first postpartum corpus luteum (CL) was 4mm larger in the 822µg/kg ergot group compared with the control (P=0.03) for the first ovulation postpartum, but not for the second (P=0.11). There was no effect of ergot exposure on the number of days until the appearance of the first (43±4 days; P=0.95) or second (52±4 days; P=0.98) CL postpartum. Ergot alkaloi...