Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
A wet spring and a late dry season took its toll on the 2015 North America crop, producing irregularities in plant growth and now putting poultry and swine at risk for mycotoxin exposure, according to Alltech’s North America Harvest Analysis.The annual study surveyed 100 North American corn samples from across the United States and Canada from September to November 2015, testing for mycotoxin contamination to determine the risk posed to monogastric animals. The mycotoxin analysis found an average 3.1 mycotoxins per sample that ranged from lower to higher risk for both swine and poultry. Ninety-seven percent of samples tested positive for at least one mycotoxin.

 

The harvest analysis revealed the greatest prevalence of Fumonisins, Fusaric Acid and Type B Trichothecenes in both the Midwest and East Coast regions. Type B Trichothecenes and Fusaric Acid can interact synergistically with each other, increasing toxicity and elevating the potential to impact livestock and poultry health and performance.

Ingestion of Fumonisins can cause reduced feed intake, damage internal organs such as the liver and lungs, suppress the immune system, increase the number of gut pathogens and susceptibility to disease and cause poor vaccination response.

 

A similar analysis of 53 wheat crop samples from across the U.S. and Canada showed an average 2.9 mycotoxins per sample, with Type B Trichothecenes and Fumonisins as the most predominant. Due to the levels present, nursery pigs and growers/finishers are at high risk and poultry layers and broilers at moderate risk for performance impacts.

 

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