Alkaloid Affects in Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility of Festuca and Bromus Species

Abstract

A field evaluation study was made on eight pasture grass species, 'Latar' orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), 'Fawn' tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), 'Manchar' bromegrass (Bromus inermus Leyss.), 'Regar' bromegrass (B. biebersteinii Roem and Schult.), 'Garrison' creeping foxtail (Alopecurus arundinacea Poir.), 'Meadow' foxtail (A. pratensis L.), 'Luna' pubescent wheatgrass [Agropyron trichophorum (Link) Richt.], and 'Greenar' intermediate wheatgrass [A. intermedium (Host) Beauv.]. Three harvests of each species were analyzed for in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) for 1975, 1976, and 1977. Fawn tall fescue and Manchar bromegrass had severely depressed IVDMD values in the second harvest of 1976 and both species and Regar bromegrass had low values for the third harvest of that year. The forages were analyzed for perloline alkaloid by a thin layer chrometography method and the depressed IVDMD values were found in the replicate samples containing perloline. The alkaloid could be toxic to livestock.