HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Fisher, D. S. Articles by Burns, J. C. PubMed Articles by Fisher, D. S. Articles by Burns, J. C. Agricola Articles by Fisher, D. S. Articles by Burns, J. C. Related Collections Forage Management Other Forage Crops Forage quality

FORAGE & GRAZINGLANDS

Testing for Variation in Animal Preference for Jesup Tall Fescue Hays with Wild-Type, Novel, or No Fungal Endophyte

^a USDA-ARS, 1420 Experiment Station Rd., Watkinsville, GA 30677
^b USDA-ARS and Dep. Crop Science and Dep. Animal Science, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC 27695. Cooperative investigation of the USDA-ARS and the North Carolina ARS, Raleigh, NC 27695-7643. The use of trade names does not imply endorsements by USDA-ARS or by the North Carolina ARS of the products named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned

^* Corresponding author (Dwight.Fisher{at}ars.usda.gov).

Tall fescue [Schedonorus phoenix (Scop.) Holub.] is an important source of forage but often contains a fungal endophyte [Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan-Jones and Gams) Glenn, Bacon, and Hanlin] that can produce alkaloids and decrease animal performance. Removing the endophyte can reduce agronomic performance and persistence. An improved cultivar (‘Jesup’) with a novel (nontoxic) endophyte (trademark "MaxQ") has improved agronomic performance. Persistence may be related to agronomic traits and animal feeding preferences. We tested for variation in animal preference among two harvests by testing each of three hays made from Jesup tall fescue that varied in endophyte status (no endophyte, containing the novel endophyte, or containing a wild-type endophyte that produces alkaloids associated with toxicosis). We tested for preference using goats (Capra hircus), sheep (Ovis aries), and cattle (Bos taurus). All possible pairs were tested using traditional analysis of variance as well as multidimensional scaling. Multidimensional scaling of the animal preferences indicated that two dimensions were being used to rank the hays. The first dimension for all three animal species was related to variation in forage nutritive value. The second dimension was not correlated with any of the measured variables. Endophyte status was not a factor in the preferences expressed by the three animal species. It appears that no effective feedback mechanism exists related to endophyte status.

Abbreviations: ADF, acid detergent fiber • ADIA, acid detergent insoluble ash • BW, body weight • CP, crude protein • DM, dry matter • IVTD, in vitro true dry matter disappearance • MDS, multidimensional scaling • NDF, neutral detergent fiber