Managing mycotoxins key for pig producers

Mr Edwards, one of the speakers, said that producers need to focus on three
main areas to maintain productivity: water, alternative feed materials and the
most damaging, mycotoxins. Mycotoxins can appear when least expected (when there
are damp, mouldy or dry conditions) and occur far more commonly than previously
thought. However now, in years of drought, mycotoxins have become a particular
concern for a number of reasons, including the utilisation of previous season’s
grains emerging from long term storage, weather patterns of hot days/cold nights
predisposing silos to condensation and the use of spoilt bales for
bedding.

Properties of adsorbent
To counteract
mycotoxins, Edwards suggested a mycotoxin adsorbent with the following
properties be added to the feed:
· Ability to adsorb
a broad spectrum of possible toxins
· Capacity to
adsorb the volume of toxins present at low inclusion rate
·
Rapid adsorption of the toxin
· Strength to
remain bound to and hold the toxin through the intestinal tract and the
associated pH range
· Stability so it can remain
active after feed processing
· Proven in vivo
data with all major mycotoxins
· Proven track record
of success on farm

Chronic mycotoxicosis
Dr D’Souza’s
(Alltech) presentation higlighted the risk producers face with over 300
mycotoxins being identified, and questioned how we can measure the threat
mycotoxins pose. He showed that the greatest financial losses are from chronic
mycotoxicosis, which can cause immunosuppression, reduced growth performance,
reduced fertility and high incidence of digestive disorders. He encouraged
producers to adopt management practices to address the problem of mycotoxins in
feed including proper post-harvest drying, good storage practices, dilution of
contaminated ingredients and the use of an effective mycotoxin adsorbent.

This seminar on mycotoxins during the Victorian Pig Fair was sponsored
by Alltech.

Related website:
Alltech

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