Effects of fescue toxicosis under chronic heat conditions conditions

Rats (n=24) were fed ad libitum diets containing either ground endophyte-free (E-) seed or endophyte–infected (E+) seed for five days at thermoneutrality (21°C) or heat stress (32 C) for 21 days. Rats with intraperitonial transmitters were used with core temperature (Tc) and general activity measured every 5 minutes during the study. At treatment end, the liver was removed, weighed and frozen in liquid nitrogen. RNA was extracted from liver samples, converted to cDNA, and hybridized with the printed oligonucleotide slides. Treatments consisted of four treatment groups, E-TN, E+TN, E-HS, E+HS. E-TN IS control at thermoneutral for 26 days , E+TN toxin fed group at thermoneutral for 26 days; E-HS control at thermoneutral for 5 days and heat treatment for 21 days, E+HS is toxin fed group at thermoneutral for 5 days and heat stress for 21 days. Keywords: Stress response Rats (n=24) were divided into two groups and fed with either E- or E+ diet for 5 days under TN conditions. At the end of TN period, each group was further subdivided into two groups each. Treatments consisted of four treatment groups, E-TN, E+TN, E-HS, E+HS. E-TN IS control at thermoneutral for 26 days , E+TN toxin fed group at thermoneutral for 26 days; E-HS control at thermoneutral for 5 days and heat treatment for 21 days, E+HS is toxin fed group at thermoneutral for 5 days and heat stress for 21 days.