Progress 07/01/23 to 06/30/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Up to date, we have disseminated our work broadly at a number of forums in several different ways including publishing in scientific journals and presentations at different meetings or seminars. We will continue to do so until all of the major findings resulting from this project have reached their target audience. Information on publications, presentations, and forums is provided within this progress report under Products. Changes/Problems:During this reporting period we were able to complete two successful experiments, one in the fall of 2023 and another one in the spring of 2024. Thus, the extension that we were granted is being used very productively. We are on track to achieve the major objectives of the project by the grant's end. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project continued to provide excellent training and professional development several graduate students, who had hands-on experience with the research. Ignacio Llada, a PhD in the Interdisciplinary Toxicology program of the University of Georgia, has continued to be the primary graduate student on the project. Several other students (Animal Science, Physiology and Pharmacology, Neuroscience majors) were also involved in the project, including in field work during the fall of 2023 and the spring of 2024 studies. Moreover, this year, visiting animal science graduate students from Brazil and Italy had the opportunity to observe and participate in components of the research; a veterinary student who was participant in a summer research for veterinary students program through the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine also had hands-on experience through this project. Students expanded their knowledge on field research animal work with beef cattle, behavioral and environmental monitoring, sample processing, and multi-omic, complex bioinformatic analyses. Of note, during the previous reporting period, Ignacio spent one week at in the College of Veterinary Medicine of Mississippi State University where he learned to prepare and process samples for targeted ergot alkaloid analyses. During this (2023-2024) period, Ignacio's poster presentation was acknowledged at the spring workshop of the Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As stated under "target audience", one manuscript was published. Our research was also presented at the January 2024 CRWAD conference, at the Southeast Section of the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting in the fall of 2023, and the 2024 National Meeting of the Society of Toxicology. In the upcoming year, we have more upcoming presentations at various conferences targeting interested communities at a regional and national conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period (final) we plan to continue sample processing and analyses (physiological parameters, microbiota, ergot alkaloids and metabolome analyses), as well as bioinformatics processing from the two studies we completed during this reporting period. We will also continue additional manuscript writing and submission.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
As indicated in our 2022-2023 report, in this reporting period, we were able to conduct two field experiments (fall of 2023 and spring of 2024). In both of these experiments, rather than continuous grazing, we used a pasture switch-over designs under fall or spring grazing conditions. Samples and data from these experiments are still being processed, with our initial findings slated to be presented in upcoming scientific meetings this (2024) fall and in the spring of 2025. We are also working on manuscripts compiling the data from these studies. By doing the pasture switch, we will be able to characterize the dynamics of both signs of fescue toxicosis and ergot alkaloids in multiple compartments (rumen, urine, plasma). These data has important p practical applications as it will guide management practices, including rotational grazing. So far, from the data we have already processed, it is notable that ergovaline and lysergic acid in the rumen fluid rise and fall rapidly upon, respectively, placement on toxic fescue pastures and a switch to a non-toxic pastures two weeks later. Thermoregulatory and other physiological impairments, as well as weight gains track the ergot alkaloid dynamics not only in the rumen, but also in the urine. Additionally, we published another important manuscript where ruminal ergovaline and volatile fatty acid profile over the course of a month-long toxic fescue grazing was characterized. We also used the data obtained so far as a foundation for a new grant application, which was submitted recently and it will allow us to continue this important and impactful for US animal agriculture work.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Llada, I. M., R. S. Mote#, N. S. Hill, J. M. Lourenco, D. P. Jones, G. Suen, M. K. Ross, and N. M. Filipov. (2024). Ruminal ergovaline and volatile fatty acid dynamics: association with poor performance and a key growth regulator in steers grazing toxic tall fescue. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology. Epub: December 25, 2023. PMID: 38151218
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Progress 07/01/22 to 06/30/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Up to date, we have disseminated our work broadly at a number of forums in several different ways including publishing in scientific journals and presentations at different meetings or seminars. We will continue to do so until all of the major findings resulting from this project have reached their target audience. Information on publications, presentations, and forums is provided within this progress report under Products. Changes/Problems:After the fall of 2021 study on the renovated pastures, as indicated in the prior report, we determined that the ergot alkaloid level in the toxic fescue pasture paddocks are low. To be in line with field conditions in the majority of toxic fescue pastures in the fescue belt, we decided to reseed only the three toxic fescue paddocks using known, high-ergot alkaloid producing fescue seeds that we harvested manually from a nearby stand. Seeds were harvested in June of 2022, planted in the first week of September of 2022, and, due to unfavorable climatic conditions will be ready for experimentation in the fall of 2023. Because of this change, we would need an additional year to complete the project, i.e., remaining field work will be done in the fall of 2023, spring of 2024, and the fall of 2024. Dr. N. Hill (Co-Project Director) recently retired, but will continue to consult on the project on matters pertaining to pasture maintenance and plant/urine endophyte/ergot alkaloid analyses. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provided excellent training and professional development several other graduate students, who had hands-on experience with the research. Early on, Dr. Mote (graduated in December of 2020) was the main graduate student working on the project. Beginning in the fall of 2021, Ignacio Llada, a PhD in the Interdisciplinary Toxicology program of the University of Georgia, has been the primary graduate student on the project and continues to be for its duration. Several other students (Animal Science, Physiology and Pharmacology, Neuroscience majors) were also involved in the project, including in field work during the fall of 2021 study. Students expanded their knowledge on field research animal work with beef cattle, sample processing, and multi-omic, complex bioinformatic analyses. Of note, during the previous reporting period, Ignacio won the University-wide summer research travel award and wentto the laboratory of Dr. Suen (Co-investigator on theproject) at the University of Wisconsin to obtain hands-on experience in sample work flow involved in bacterial and fungal microbiota analyses. During this (2022-2023) period, Ignacio won a presentation award for his fescue toxicosis work at the spring workshop of the Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As stated under "target audience", one manuscript was published. Our research was also presented at the January 2023 CRWAD conference, with more upcoming presentations at various conferences targeting interested communities at a regional (Southeast Section of the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting) and a national, i.e., the January 2024 CRWAD conference, level planned. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period we plan to complete one field grazing study that will take place in the spring 2023. We also plan on extending the project with another year which we will use to complete the remaining two studies (fall of 2023 and spring of 2024). We will continue the microbiota and metabolome analyses and bioinformatics processing from the study that is already completed (fall of 2021). As data become available, we will also continue additional manuscript writing and submission.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
As indicated in our 2021-2022 report, we conducted our first experiment in the fall of 2021 on completely renovated pastures that were planted in the fall of 2020. Samples and data from this study were being processed and were be presented at the CRWAD meeting in January of 2023. From the analyses so far, toxic fescue grazing in late fall impairs weight gains while it also causes surface temperature and behavioral aberrations that are associated with climactic conditions. We also published this work in Toxins (May of 2023). There these data are novel and interesting, and we also continued the analyses of these samples focused on the animals' metabolomes and microbiomes. These new data will be first presented and the upcoming CRWAD meeting in January of 2024. Data from the fall of 2021 study are applicable to pasture grazing conditions where the ergot alkaloids in the toxic fescue are low (sub-segment of the commercial fescue pastures used for grazing beef in the US). This is because we also determined that the total ergot alkaloids in the new pastures are significantly lower than in the pastures we have relied on before or applicable to the majority of the fescue grazing beef. This is why, in 2022, we hand-harvested toxic endophyte-infected fescue seeds, confirmed endophyte viability and ergot alkaloid content and reseeded the three toxic fescue paddocks. We hoped that the renovated pastures will be ready for experimentation in the spring of 2023, but, duo to climatic conditions, the experiment was delayed and is now scheduled to start mid-October of 2023. Consequently, remaining three experiments that were originally planned for the spring of 2022, fall of 2022 and the spring of 2023 will now be conducted in the fall of 2023, spring of 2024 and the fall of 2024.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Llada, I. M., J. M. Lourenco, M. M. Dycus, J. M. Carpenter, G. Suen, N. S. Hill, and N. M. Filipov. (2023). Behavioral and physiological alterations in Angus steers grazing endophyte-infected toxic fescue during late fall. Toxins, 15(5): 343; Epub: May 18, 2023. PMID: 37235377
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Progress 07/01/21 to 06/30/22
Outputs
Target Audience: Up to date, we have disseminated our work broadly at a number of forums in several different ways including publishing in scientific journals and presentations at different meetings or seminars. We will continue to do so until all of the major findings resulting from this project have reached their target audience. Information on publications, presentations, and forums is provided within this progress report under Products. Changes/Problems:After the fall of 2021 study on the renovated pastures, as indicated earlier in the report, we determined that the ergot alkaloid level in the toxic fescue pasture paddocks are low. To be in line with field conditions in the majority of toxic fescue pastures in the fescue belt, we decided to reseed only the three toxic fescue paddocks using known, high-ergot alkaloid producing fescue seeds that we harvested manually from a nearby stand. Seeds were harvested in June of 2022, planted in the first week of September of 2022, and will be ready for experimentation in the spring of 2023. Because of this change, we would need an additional year to complete the project, i.e., remaining field work will be done in the spring of 2023, fall of 2023, and the spring of 2024. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provided excellent training and professional development several other graduate students, who had hands-on experience with the research. Early on, Dr. Mote (graduated in December of 2020) was the main graduate student working on the project. Beginning in the fall of 2021, Ignacio Llada, a PhD in the Interdisciplinary Toxicology program of the University of Georgia, has been the primary graduate student on the project and will continue to be for its duration. Several other students (Animal Science, Physiology and Pharmacology, Neuroscience majors) were also involved in the project, including in field work during the fall of 2021 study. Students expanded their knowledge on field research animal work with beef cattle, sample processing, and multi-omic, complex bioinformatic analyses. Of note, Ignacio won the University-wide summer research travel award and wend to the laboratory of Dr. Suen (Co-investigator on the project) at the University of Wisconsin to obtain hands-on experience in sample work flow involved in bacterial and fungal microbiota analyses. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As stated under "target audience", one manuscript was published. Our research was also presented at the December 2021 CRWAD conference, with more upcoming presentations at various conferences targeting interested communities at a regional and a national, i.e., the January 2023 CRWAD conference, level planned. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period we plan to complete one field grazing study that will take place in the spring 2023. We also plan on extending the project with another year which we will use to complete the remaining two studies (fall of 2023 and spring of 2024). We will continue the microbiota and metabolome analyses and bioinformatics processing from the study that is already completed (fall of 2021). As data become available, we will also continue manuscript writing and submission.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
As indicated in our 2020-2021 report, we decided to reseed and renovate new pasture paddocks with toxic endophyte-infected fescue seeds, non-toxic endophyte-infected seed, and with endophyte-free seeds. Pastures were sawed in the fall of 2020, additional pasture infrastructure, i.e., waterers, fences, etc., was installed and we used the newly renovated pastures for our first experiment that was conducted in late fall of 2021. In this experiment, steers were placed on the pastures for 28 days and a number of physiological parameters, plus sample collection for microbiome and metabolome analyses were done. Additionally, temperature and behavior monitoring devices were placed on the animals and data collected throughout the experimental period. Samples and data from this study are being processed and will be presented at the CRWAD meeting in January of 2023. From the analyses so far, toxic fescue grazing in late fall impairs weight gains while it also causes surface temperature and behavioral aberrations that are associated with climactic conditions. While these data are novel and interesting, they are applicable to pasture grazing conditions were the ergot alkaloids in the toxic fescue are low (sub-segment of the commercial fescue pastures used for grazing beef in the US). This is because we also determined that the total ergot alkaloids in the new pastures are significantly lower than in the pastures we have relied on before or applicable to the majority of the fescue grazing beef. This is why, we hand-harvested toxic endophyte-infected fescue seeds, confirmed endophyte viability and ergot alkaloid content and are in the process of another reseeding of the three toxic fescue paddocks. The renovated pastures will be ready for experimentation in the spring of 2023. Consequently, remaining three experiments are were planned for the spring of 2022, fall of 2022 and the spring of 2023 will now be conducted in the spring of 2023, fall of 2023 and the spring of 2024. We also used this reporting period to continue manuscript writing and sample analyses from the studies we sued as the foundation of the new experiments. Some results from these analyses were published in the winter of 2022; other data from these analyses were presented at the December 2021 CRWAD meeting and are being prepared for another manuscript submission.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Mote R. S., N. S. Hill, J. H. Skarlupka, J. M. Carpenter, J. M. Lourenco, T. R. Callaway, V. T. Tran, K. Liu, M. R. Smith, D.
P. Jones, G Suen, N. M. Filipov. (2022). Integrative Interactomics Applied to Bovine Fescue Toxicosis. Scientific Reports 12(1): 4899. Epub: March 22, 2022.
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Progress 07/01/20 to 06/30/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Up to date, we have disseminated our work broadly at a number of forums in several different ways including publishing in scientific journals and presentations at different meetings or seminars. We will continue to do so until all of the major findings resulting from this project have reached their target audience. Information on publications, presentations, and forums is provided within this progress report under Products. Changes/Problems:Due to the poor quality of the existing fescue pastures and the challenges of working during the 2020 phase of the pandemic, the first planned study (planned for the fall of 2020) was delayed. Pastures were completely renovated and the study is now scheduled to start in late October of 2021. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provided excellent training and professional development for Ryan Mote (PhD graduate student) and several other graduate students, who had hands-on experience with the research. Of note, Ignacio Lllada is an incoming PHD student in the Interdisciplinary Toxicology program of the University of Georgia, who recently started working on the project; he will be the primary graduate student on the project for its duration. Students expanded their knowledge on field research animal work with beef cattle, sample processing, and multi-omic, complex bioinformatic analyses. Ryan also successfully defended his dissertation in December of 2020. Due to his excellent record of accomplishment in terms of outstanding productivity and academic excellence, in addition to his prior awards, in 2021, Dr. Mote won the prestigious Excellence in Research by Graduate Students Award in Professional and Applied Science (University-wide, only one award). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As stated under "target audience", our first publication is under a journal review. Our research was also presented at the 2020 CRWAD conference, with more upcoming presentations at various conferences targeting interested communities at a regional and a national level planned. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period we plan to complete two field grazing studies; the first one will take place in the fall of 2021, the second one in the spring of 2022. Once all samples from the fall 2021 study are collected, we will begin the microbiota and metabolome analyses and bioinformatics processing. As data become available, we will also start manuscript preparation.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Soon after the project was initiated (July 2020), in light of the ongoing pandemic-induced research delays and to address decreasing fescue pasture quality of the existing research pasture at the J. Phil Campbell facility, we decided to reseed and renovate new pasture paddocks with toxic endophyte-infected fescue seeds, non-toxic endophyte-infected seed, and with endophyte-free seeds. Pastures were sawed in the fall of 2020, additional pasture infrastructure, i.e., waterers, fences, etc., was installed and the newly renovated pastures are now (fall of 2021) ready for experimentation. Our first fall grazing experiment is scheduled to commence during the last week of October 2021. Remaining three experiments are planned for the spring of 2022, fall of 2022 and the spring of 2023. Besides preparing the new pastures for the upcoming experiments, we used the first period to complete sample analyses of the plant, rumen, fecal matter, plasma and urine samples we had collected from the study we sued as the foundation of the proposed new analyses. All of these analyses were completed, and some results were presented during the virtual CRWAD meeting (December 2020). These data, with additional analyses included, are now part of a manuscript that is under a journal review. The additional data that we have generated so far was also included in the dissertation of the graduate student working on the fescue project, Ryan Mote, who graduate in December of 2020.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Mote R. S., N. S. Hill, J. H. Skarlupka, J. M. Carpenter, J. M. Lourenco, T. R. Callaway, V. T. Tran, K. Liu, M. R. Smith, D. P. Jones, G Suen, N. M. Filipov. (2021). Integrative Interactomics Applied to Bovine Fescue Toxicosis. Scientific Reports.
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