Mycotoxins: Farmers Must Be Vigilant

ANALYSIS - Mycotoxins can wreak havoc on a producer's feeding program, and this year is no exception, given the cool wet conditions across much of the US Midwest, reports Sarah Mikesell, 5m senior editor, talking with a Biomin Key Account Manager.

16 October 2014

2 minute read

By: Sarah Mikesell

Doug Taylor, Biomin Key Account Manager, shares Biomin's solutions for mycotoxins as well as how they can affect animal species.

Mycotoxins are highly toxic secondary metabolic products of mold and can be found on almost all agricultural commodities world wide. They occur under natural conditions in animal feed. According to the FAO, 25 per cent of the world's crop harvests are contaminated with mycotoxins.

There are currently 400 known mycotoxins categorized into six major classes that frequently occur: aflatoxins, trichothecenes, fumonisins, zearalenone, ochratoxin, and ergot alkaloids They are formed by different kinds of fungo and each fungi species can produce more than one mycotoxin.

Sarah Mikesell

Editor

Sarah Mikesell grew up on a five-generation family farming operation in Ohio, USA, where her family still farms. She feels extraordinarily lucky to get to do what she loves - write about livestock and crop agriculture. You can find her on Twitter or LinkedIn.