Mycotoxins and Toxicological Impact in Swine

The North American pork production industry is heavily dependent on relatively few feed ingredients, including the cereal grains (corn, wheat, and barley), oilseed meals (soybean meal) and industry co-products (DDGS). As such, factors that impact the quality of these feed ingredients can pose serious challenges relative to the formulation of pig diets. One such factor that impacts the quality of feed ingredients is fungal infections. Fungal infections of crops typically occur either in the field or during storage, but infections can also occur if complete feeds are stored improperly (example: high temperature and moisture conditions). The susceptibility of major feed crops to fungal spoilage increases the risk for the presence of mycotoxins in the Canadian feed supply. The term “mycotoxin” is a generic reference to a heterogeneous class of toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. These metabolites can have a variety of toxicological effects, including reductions in feed intake, growth depression, liver and kidney damage, and impairments in reproductive health.