Effects of ergot alkaloids in feed on performance and liver function of piglets as evaluated by the ¹³C-methacetin breath test

Ergot alkaloids (the sum of individual alkaloids is termed as total alkaloids, TA) are mycotoxins of the fungus Claviceps purpurea and might adversely affect the performance and aspects of liver physiology of pigs. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of feeding ergot alkaloids to piglets on performance and liver function by using the 13C-methacetin breath test. Two ergot batches were mixed into piglet diets resulting in 5 and 6 mg (Ergot 17-low and -high) and 9 and 21 mg TA/kg (Ergot 19-low and -high) and compared to an ergot free Control group. Feed intake and live weight gain decreased significantly with the TA content (p ¼ 0.006). The time of the maximum 13CO2-exhalation (tmax) occurred significantly earlier in Control piglets (8.9 min) compared to the groups Ergot 17-high and Ergot 19-high (24.7 and 23.6 min, respectively, p ¼ 0.014) whilst the elimination half-life remained uninfluenced by dietary treatments (55–64 min). The cumulative 13CO2-recovery (cPDR) was significantly reduced in piglets fed the Ergot 19-high diet (7.6%) compared to the groups Control and Ergot 17-high (13.1% and 10.8%, respectively, p ¼ 0.011). In conclusion, the TA content of the diets is closer related to the adverse effects of ergot on piglet performance than the dietary ergot content itself. The mechanisms by which TA affects porcine liver function need to be studied further.