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Mycotoxins in feedstuffs
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Aflatoxin, produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus, is a naturally occurring toxin in corn and the most potent carcinogen found in nature (Castegnaro and McGregor 1998, Park and Liang 1993). Dietary exposure to aflatoxin is one of the major causes of hepatocellular carcinoma, the fifth most common cancer in the world (Wild and Hall 2000). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration limits the sale of grain with aflatoxin levels exceeding 20 parts per billion (ppb) (Park and Liang 1993), and...
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Aflatoxin contamination of corn is being reported in southeast, northeast, and west central Nebraska. Aflatoxin is one of several potentially harmful compounds known as mycotoxins which can develop from grain molds. While molds may not necessarily pose a health threat to animals or humans, mycotoxins can.
The level of aflatoxin contamination being reported ranges from 20 ppb to 300 ppb. The vast majority appear to be on the lower end from under 20 ppb to 100 ppb, according to Rich...
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Fusarium head blight is a fungal disease of various grasses that stops kernel development. The disease is most often found in wheat, but can also affect barley, oats, rye and some forage grasses. The first severe outbreak in Manitoba occurred in 1993, but localized outbreaks have been reported since 1986. Fusarium head blight reduces yields, but a greater concern is the downgrading in quality due to the presence of fusarium damaged kernels. In the top grades, there are very small...
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Certain Fusarium fungi are capable of causing a variety of diseases in corn, including seedling disease, stalk rots, and ear rots. In addition to their direct effect on corn yields, Fusarium fungi sometimes produce mycotoxins (poisonous substances produced by fungi) in the infected ears and kernels. The mycotoxins produced by Fusarium spp. in cereal grains are second only to the aflatoxins in attracting the attention of scientists and farmers. Three...
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There are various ear molds that occur in Ontario and identification is critical since many of these fungi produce mycotoxins which can have detrimental consequences if fed to livestock, and in some cases humans (ingested or airborne exposure). The persistent wet weather in some parts of the province this summer in conjunction with other factors such as leaf diseases, insect injury (European corn borer, western bean cutworm and others), bird damage, poor pollination, etc. could provide the...
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It was too wet. It was too cold. It was too dry. Then Hurricane Ike washed through droughty corn. Delayed maturity threw drydown schedules in the garbage. Despite the fact that some farmers forward contracted corn for nearly $8 per bushel, the quality of the crop may result in dockage that will not allow settlement prices anywhere near those historic marks. The challenge du jour will be to identify the problems, manage them, and understand why crop quality deteriorated this year. Many...
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Research being conducted by the University of Manitoba is targeting the identification of genes that will strengthen a wheat plant's resistance to fusarium head blight. As part of the University of Manitoba's fusarium head blight resistance program a two year study will examine the interaction between the fusarium pathogen and resistance in specific wheat cultivars. The project is one of four graduate student projects being supported through the 2008 Canadian Wheat Board...
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The last report on the occurrence of mycotoxin was published in 2006 (1), generated immense interest among the feed industry. In the current analysis, the occurrence of various mycotoxins in feed samples was found to be: aflatoxin total; 16%, deoxynivalenol; 48%, fumonisin B1; 46%, ochratoxin A;...
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Heavy pest infestation makes maize plants more susceptible to fungal infections. As a result, food and animal feed is more severely contaminated with fungal toxins. Effective measures to combat pests therefore often have a positive side-effect in that they also reduce mycotoxin levels. This applies to Bt maize as well. The finding from a trial series in Germany is confirmed by an international metastudy. Like many types of grass and cereal, maize is often attacked by mould fungi of the...
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Discovery that a specific gene is integral to both fungal invasion of corn and development of a potentially deadly toxin in the kernels may lead to ways to control the pathogen and the poison. Purdue University researchers evaluated the fungal gene ZFR1 and found that it is vital to the process of the fungus growing on corn kernels. Production of the toxin decreased when the scientists disabled the gene. At certain levels, the toxin can cause illness in humans and most domestic...
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Bt corn is being planted at an ever-growing rate around the world. Aside from its primary benefit of insect pest protection, it has the important secondary benefit of reducing mycotoxin concentrations, because of the relationship between insect pest damage and fungal colonization. The currently-available varieties of Bt corn have shown strong evidence in field conditions worldwide of having significantly lower fumonisin levels than non-Bt isolines. There is also limited evidence for...
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National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) officials and others met with representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) yesterday in Washington, D.C., to seek an increase in funding and research to eliminate aflatoxin. NCGA Mycotoxin Committee Chairman Scott Averhoff and Texas Corn Producers Board Executive Director David Gibson were joined by representatives from the National Cotton Council of America, National Peanut Board, and Almond Board...
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A CCFRA-organised seminar, in association with Bayer CropScience, brought together growers, grain end users and scientists at the East of England showground, Peterborough, to discuss new developments in managing mycotoxins. Fungicides alone cannot be relied on Fungicide sprays alone cannot be relied on for fusarium and DON mycotoxin control, Masstock Arable agronomist Andrew Richards told the meeting. The introduction in 2006 of a maximum DON level...
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The University of Alberta warns, with this summer's combination of abundant rain and warm temperatures, livestock producers will need to be on alert for potentially elevated levels of fusarium infection in feed grains.
Fusarium head blight is a fungal infection that primarily affects cereal crops.
Fusarium graminearum, the strain of particular concern, is present throughout Manitoba and into Eastern Saskatchewan with the Red River Valley tending to face the highest risk.
University...
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Researchers to combat toxic brown mould with its non-toxic cousin.
In the early 1960s more than 100,000 turkeys died in Britain of cancer of the liver. Eventually, researchers identified mouldy peanut flour from Brazil containing large amounts of aflatoxin as the cause of this mysterious 'turkey X' disease. Even today the toxin is regarded as one of the most virulent natural carcinogenic substances.
The tasteless toxin is produced by the mould aspergillus...
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Recent hot wet weather conditions are increasing the risk of fusarium head blight developing in this year's winter wheat crops.
Fusarium graminearum, the strain of particular concern, is present throughout Manitoba and into Eastern Saskatchewan.
The toxins produced by the fungal disease are of particular concern to swine producers.
David Kaminski, a Farm Production Extension Pathologist with Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives, says the infection thrives under hot humid...
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What information is around on mycotoxins and how does it affect pigs? I would be interested to hear from others if they have come across this problem with grain and the problems they have encountered and how to get around contaminated grain. ...
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Grain quality is likely to have been affected by bad weather during the harvest. Pig producers are urged to be extra vigilant to ensure the quality of cereal grains going into feed is maintained so pig health, feed intake and performance do not suffer.
The wet weather has delayed harvest and also led to high grain moisture content, which increases the risk of mycotoxin development during storage.
Proper grain storage is the key. HGCA has urged growers to focus on wellestablished basics...
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Autumn is a good time to find out if you have mycotoxin contamination problems in your corn, especially if it is going to be fed to swine. Mycotoxins are compounds produced in grain by specific molds or fungi as secondary metabolites. However, presence of molds in grains does not automatically indicate mycotoxin presence.
Mycotoxin production can occur during plant growth and maturity or during storage of grains, and is influenced primarily by moisture level, temperature and availability of...
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Until now, scientists didn't know how to classify Stachybotrys chartarum, the black mold that can grow in humid, indoor environments and is often associated with "building sickness."
But an Agricultural Research Service scientist recently found that the toxin- producing fungus comprises a brand-new family within the order Hypocreales.
ARS mycologist Lisa A. Castlebury discovered that Stachybotrys' closest relatives are actually members of the genus Myrothecium, fungi that cause serious...
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