Thirty mares in late gestation were used in a 3-yr study to assess effects of the tall fescue endophyte Acremonium coenophialum on serum prolactin (PRL) and progesterone. Two paddocks of each treatment, 0 or 100% infected 'Kentucky 31' tall fescue, were grazed by the mares for 21 d. Blood was collected three times per week until parturition. At 7-d intervals, mares were challenged with thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) while grazing and blood was collected postinjection. Mares grazing 100% infected tall fescue (E+) had decreased serum PRL compared with mares grazing the 0% infected tall fescue (E-) in 2 of 3 yr. Within 8 d postgrazing, serum PRL for E+ mares equaled or surpassed values of the E- mares. Serum PRL was not different during the 3rd yr. In response to TRH, serum PRL rate of increase was similar between treatments but remained elevated (P less than .01) in the E+ mares at the 180-, 240-, and 300-min sample times. Serum progesterone was lowered (P less than .05) by E+ but increased to control values within 10 d postgrazing. It is concluded that serum PRL and progesterone in the gravid mare were decreased by the presence of A. coenophialum in 'Kentucky 31' tall fescue grass but normal levels were reestablished within 2 to 3 wk.

The effects of sham ovariectomy (SOVX) or ovariectomy (OVX) on (1) basal luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations, (2) number of LH peaks per hour and (3) magnitude of LH peaks were determined in prepubertal and pubertal beef heifers. Basal LH concentrations were not influenced by SOVX of prepubertal or pubertal heifers. However, after OVX, basal LH concentrations increased between 168 and 192 hr in prepubertal heifers and between 72 and 80 hr in pubertal heifers. The number of LH peaks per hour was not influenced by SOVX but OVX caused an increase in the number in both prepubertal and pubertal heifers, and the increase occurred sooner after OVX in pubertal than in prepubertal heifers. The magnitude of LH peaks was similar for both prepubertal and pubertal heifers prior to SOVX and OVX. Magnitude of LH peaks was unchanged after SOVX in prepubertal and pubertal heifers, but increased within the first 24 hr after OVX in pubertal heifers and within 168 to 192 hr after OVX in prepubertal heifers. These data indicate that inhibition of LH secretion by ovaries occurred in both prepubertal and pubertal beef heifers. The time-related differences between prepubertal and pubertal heifers in basal LH concentrations, number of LH peaks per hour and magnitude of the LH peaks after OVX may reflect a difference in endocrine environment in these two reproductive states. However, this hypothesis was not tested in this experiment.