Mycotoxin contamination of animal feed can negatively impact animal health and productivity. Common mycotoxins like aflatoxins, ochratoxin, and zearalenone produced by molds in feed can cause liver damage, gastrointestinal issues, reduced growth and productivity, and decreased immune function in animals. While ruminants are somewhat protected by the rumen, long term consumption of contaminated feed can still reduce production, reproduction, and growth. The economic impacts of mycotoxin contamination are significant due to losses in animal productivity and increased health problems.
Mycotoxin contamination of animal feed can negatively impact animal health and productivity. Common mycotoxins like aflatoxins, ochratoxin, and zearalenone produced by molds in feed can cause liver damage, gastrointestinal issues, reduced growth and productivity, and decreased immune function in animals. While ruminants are somewhat protected by the rumen, long term consumption of contaminated feed can still reduce production, reproduction, and growth. The economic impacts of mycotoxin contamination are significant due to losses in animal productivity and increased health problems.
Mycotoxin contamination of animal feed can negatively impact animal health and productivity. Common mycotoxins like aflatoxins, ochratoxin, and zearalenone produced by molds in feed can cause liver damage, gastrointestinal issues, reduced growth and productivity, and decreased immune function in animals. While ruminants are somewhat protected by the rumen, long term consumption of contaminated feed can still reduce production, reproduction, and growth. The economic impacts of mycotoxin contamination are significant due to losses in animal productivity and increased health problems.
Mycotoxin contamination of animal feed can negatively impact animal health and productivity. Common mycotoxins like aflatoxins, ochratoxin, and zearalenone produced by molds in feed can cause liver damage, gastrointestinal issues, reduced growth and productivity, and decreased immune function in animals. While ruminants are somewhat protected by the rumen, long term consumption of contaminated feed can still reduce production, reproduction, and growth. The economic impacts of mycotoxin contamination are significant due to losses in animal productivity and increased health problems.
Mycotoxin is a chemical poisonous substance that contaminated feed
and represents the main source of food borne illness.
Mycotoxins are a structurally diverse group of mostly small molecular
weight compounds, produced mainly by the secondary metabolism of
some filamentous fungi, or molds, which under suitable temperature and
humidity conditions, and may develop on various foods and feeds,
causing serious risks for human and animal health.
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that have no biochemical
significance in fungal growth and development.
Cont… Toxigenic molds are known to produce one or more of these toxic secondary metabolites. It is well established that not all molds are toxigenic and not all secondary metabolites from molds are toxic. It is difficult to define mycotoxin in a few words.
Mycotoxins are not only hard to define, they are also challenging to classify. Due to their diverse chemical structures and biosynthetic origins, their different biological effects, and their production by a wide number of different fungal species Cont…
Factors contributing to the presence or production of mycotoxins
in foods or feeds include storage, environmental, and ecological conditions and they are often times most factors are beyond human control. It can be transmitted either directly or indirectly; Directly by contamination with moulds which under certain conditions can produce mycotoxins and ingestion of contaminated feeds . Cont…
And indirectly by the production of food of animal origin,
exposed to contaminated feed materials and compounds
(carryover effect), and also through the mixture of spices
used in their production.
Objectives
Objectives General objective
To review the impact of mycotoxin contaminations on
animal health and productivity Specific objective To review the impact of mycotoxin contaminations on animal health. To review the impact of mycotoxin contaminations on productivity. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Occurrence and significance of mycotoxins in food and feeds. Mycotoxicoses in humans or animals are characterized as food or feed related, non-contagious, non-transferable, non-infectious, and non-traceable to microorganisms other than fungi. Clinical symptoms usually subside upon removal of contaminated food or feed.
A wide range of commodities can be contaminated with
mycotoxins both pre- and post-harvest Aflatoxin Aflatoxins are the most important mycotoxins with regard to occurrence, toxicity, and impact on human health and trade. Aflatoxins are primarily produced by strains of Aspergillusflavus, A. parasiticus, A. nomius A. pseudotamarii and A. bombycis . All of these species are found in the soil. Four major aflatoxins commonly isolated from foods and feeds are aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2. A. flavus and A.pseudotamarii produce only B aflatoxins. They aflatoxin biosynthesis lack the ability to synthesize G aflatoxins due to 0.8- to 1.5-kb deletion in the 28- gene cluster. Ochratoxin Ochratoxin is produced by fungi of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. Ochratoxin A (OTA or OA) is the major metabolite of toxicological significance and it is mainly a contaminant of cereal grains. There are other compounds in this group, but they are less toxic.Aspergillus ochraceus produces OTA in hot climates, while Penicillium verrucosum produces it in temperate countries. OTA is a frequent natural contaminant of many foodstuffs such as cocoa beans, coffee beans, cassava flour, cereals, fish, peanuts, dried fruits, wine, poultry eggs and milk . Zearalenone Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by F. graminearum and other Fusarium molds using corn, wheat, barley, oats and sorghum as substrates. It is a non-steroidal compound that exhibits oestrogen-like activity in certain farm animals such as cattle, sheep and pigs. Zearalenone is a phenolic resorcyclic acid lactone with potent oestrogenic properties, produced primarily by Fusarium It mimics the effects of the female hormone, oestrogen . Zearalenone appears to be well tolerated by poultry. Health Effects of mycotoxins on non-ruminants Mycotoxins have various health effects on non-ruminant animals, the common mycotoxin that have adverse effect on non-ruminant are the followings;
Aflatoxins: Aflatoxins are the most well-known
mycotoxins and extensive research has been done about these mycotoxins. Young animals are most susceptible to the effects of aflatoxin,all ages are affected. Aflatoxin causes a variety of symptoms depending on the animal, dose, length of exposure, species, breed and diet or nutritional status. Cont.… However, in all animals, aflatoxin can cause liver damage, gastrointestinal dysfunction, reduced productivity, decreased feed utilization and efficiency, decreased reproductive performance, , reduced milk or egg production, embryonic death, teratogenicity (birth defects), tumours and suppressed immune system function, even when low levels are consumed.
In poultry, ducks are the most sensitive to aflatoxins,
followed by turkey, broiler and layers . Ochratoxin
Ochratoxin A (OTA or OA) is the major metabolite of toxicological
significance and it is mainly a contaminant of cereal grains. In poultry, OTA is often reported to have damaging effects and symptoms are increased mortality, reduced growth and decreased feed conversion ratio and feed refusal. At higher doses, one can observe diarrhea, tremors and other neural malfunctions. In laying birds, OTA also reduces egg production and quality. Zearalenone Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by F. graminearum and other Fusarium molds using corn, wheat, barley, oats and sorghum as substrates. It mimics the effects of the female hormone, oestrogen Zearalenone appears to be well tolerated by poultry. Health effects of mycotoxins on ruminants. Ruminants are less susceptible to mycotoxins than monogastrics, because of the rumen micro biota and the feed particles contained in the rumen compartment may be effective in the degradation, deactivation and binding of these toxic molecules, hence protecting animals . The effects of mycotoxin ingestion are mainly chronic, implying hidden disorders with reduced ingestion, productivity and fertility. Cont.… Ruminants such as cattle, sheep, goats and deer are less known for their sensitivity to the negative effects of mycotoxins than are non-ruminants. However, production (milk, beef, or wool), reproduction and growth can be altered when ruminants consume mycotoxin- contaminated feed for extended periods of time. Health effect of mycotoxins on other ruminants
Ruminants other than cattle and sheep have shown
variable resistance to mycotoxins. Levels of AF at 95 mg/kg of feed offered to weanling goats had no effects on body weight gain and did not show any noticeable signs of toxic effects because of mostly they consume leaves of plant parts on the other hand mycotoxin mostly found on hay and silag sourses of feed. Metabolism of mycotoxins Mycotoxins are produced mainly by the mycelial structure of filamentous fungi, or more specifically, the molds. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that have no biochemical significance in fungal growth and development.
The hyphal structure of filamentous fungi has evolved to utilize
solid substrates efficiently by growing over surfaces and penetrating into solid matrices. The molds are able to secrete enzymes to break down complex macromolecular compounds and utilize them for growth and metabolism. Cont... Mycotoxins that are produced by fungi belonging to Fusarium and Aspergillus genera (fusariotoxins/ trichothecenes and aflatoxins, respectively) have receive special attention, because they are most hazardous for humans and animals and are of economic significance. Many of these secondary metabolites do have biological activity and may be toxic to microorganisms (antibiotics), plants Economic impact of mycotoxins Mycotoxins have significant economic and commercial impact, in
that both the productivity and nutritive value of the infected cereal
and forage is affected .
Also, its significant economic losses are associated with their
impact on human health, animal productivity and both domestic
and international trade. It is estimated that 25% of the world's food
crops, including many basic foods, are affected by mycotoxin
producing fungi. Cont… Also mycotoxins can induce health problems that are specific to each toxin or affect the immune status of animals, favoring infections. This is the major reason for the difficulty of diagnosing mycotoxicoses.
The economic impact of reduced animal productivity,
increased incidence of disease due to immunosuppression, damage to vital organs and interference with reproductive capacity is many times greater than the impact caused by death due to mycotoxin poisoning. CONCLUSSION Mycotoxins have various acute and chronic effects on humans and animals (especially monogastrics) depending on species and susceptibility of an animal within a species.
Ruminants have, however, generally been more resistant to the
adverse effects of mycotoxins.
The economic impact of mycotoxins include loss of human and
animal life, increased health care and veterinary care costs, reduced livestock production, disposal of contaminated foods and feeds, and investment in research and applications to reduce severity of the mycotoxin problem. RECOMMENDATIONS Encouragement of farmers to change their attitude towards mycotoxin prevention on the traditional system.
Training for both farmers and extension staff focusing on
mycotoxin contamination control and improved feeding system could help to improve productivity of livestock and chicken.
Examine all animal feed carefully on delivery for freshness,
testing it if unsure, use trusted and reliable animal feed companies and store feed appropriately, keep feed stores clean and dry.
Use feeding additives if mycotoxins are detected in feed (only if
feed is compliant with levels below allowed maximum limits). O N T I EN T T R A OU R Y FO O U K Y A N H
