Mycotoxin Management Solutions in North America

Poultry are also susceptible to mycotoxins, with each toxin class producing distinct toxic effects. Broiler chickens are generally less sensitive to Aflatoxins than other species, such as ducks, geese, and turkeys.

Type A trichothecenes (T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, and diacetoxyscirpenol) are a major concern for poultry and contribute to considerable economic losses due to their impact on productivity. These compounds are highly toxic, particularly to chickens, because of their very low LD₅₀ values. T-2 toxin specifically reduces feed intake, body weight, and breeding egg quality, and causes oral lesions.

Young chicks and turkey poults are highly vulnerable to ochratoxins. These nephrotoxic compounds can depress feed intake, slow growth, reduce egg production, and impair eggshell quality.

Fumonisin exposure in poultry is associated with immune suppression, reduced body weight and average daily gain, and increased gizzard weight gain.

Compared with other species, such as pigs, poultry appear to be less sensitive to zearalenone. However, combinations of multiple mycotoxins can significantly impair fertility and hatchability, leading to substantial reproductive losses.

Aflatoxins, trichothecenes, and zearalenone are major concerns in ruminants, just as they are in monogastric species. However, mature ruminants are generally more resistant to mycotoxins because certain rumen microorganisms can detoxify these compounds. In contrast, calves are more sensitive to aflatoxins than adult cattle.
    
Clinical signs of aflatoxin ingestion include reduced feed intake and milk yield, diarrhea, acute mastitis, weight loss, respiratory issues, hair loss, liver damage, and immunosuppression. The aflatoxin metabolite aflatoxin M1 can be transferred into milk at levels ranging from 1% to 6% of the ingested aflatoxin B1.
    
Multiple studies indicate that ruminants are less affected by deoxynivalenol (DON) because it is converted in the rumen to a less toxic metabolite, de-epoxy DON. Even so, DON exposure is associated with decreased feed intake, reduced milk yield, and reduced milk fat content in dairy cattle.
    
T-2 toxin exposure leads to anorexia, weight loss, reduced growth, gastroenteritis, decreased milk production, and impaired immune function in calves. Additionally, T-2 toxin has been linked to hemorrhagic bowel syndrome due to its immunosuppressive effects.
    
Zearalenone disrupts reproductive processes in ruminant species, causing false estrus, anestrus, premature mammary development, and abortions.