AFLATOXIN SHOCKER Although the thorny subject of aflatoxin has been around for a long time, there follows a fair bit on aflatoxin in this edition of Feed Compounder, not least because Alltech has released the results of its summer harvest survey for 2013. In addition, Kemin has recently hosted a gathering of experts involved in mycotoxin research and regulation to discuss the latest advances in the field, the analytical challenges involved and the negative effects of mycotoxins as a whole. Producers and feed manufacturers have been urged to take


steps to manage the storage of their feed ingredients particularly carefully this year to limit mould growth. A startling 99 per cent of the grain samples collected by Alltech during their annual harvest survey contained mycotoxins with 83 per cent of samples containing multiple mycotoxins. Alltech’s survey evaluated wheat and maize crops across fourteen


countries in Europe, along with a number of states in the US and provinces in Canada. The company analysed 83 wheat samples and 24 maize samples from the 2013 harvest for 38 mycotoxins using technology giving the company the ability to take a more in-depth look at the extent of mycotoxin contamination within ingredients or finished feeds. The survey has revealed a continuing presence of mycotoxins in


maize and wheat, which have the capacity to lower feed quality and reduce performance across the livestock sector. While the results of the survey in some areas were similar to those of last year, in other regions, the situation was found to have got worse. In all, the results of the survey reinforced the continued need for both producers and feed manufacturers to remain on full alert. Alltech have stressed the importance of accepting that the


presence of mycotoxins in feed grains is inherent, a factor that producers and feed manufactures need to continue to manage in order to ensure they get the best possible results out of their feed and their livestock to which it is fed. Alltech called for the potential impact of the 2013 survey results on both animal health and production to be carefully monitored. Alltech have reported that, in Northern Europe, all but one grain


sample contained multiple mycotoxins and that, overall, the results of the survey suggested that the risks to pigs was high while caution was advisable where ruminants were concerned. Caution was also advised for all poultry. The survey also found high levels of multiple mycotoxins in Eastern Europe with aflatoxin posing a risk to most species. Again, the risks for pigs were assessed as ‘high’ while caution was advised for ruminants and poultry. The situation appears to be particularly bad in Spain and Portugal


with the region being classified as high risk for pigs, ruminants and poultry. However, Alltech have stressed that the large number of different mycotoxin groups throughout Europe could potentially contribute to a lowering of feed quality right across the region. The question that will immediately spring to readers’ minds is what happened in 2013. Alltech, asked what had gone wrong, could not point to anything


PAGE 8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 FEED COMPOUNDER


specific, but explained that the amount of mould growing on the plant in a field and the amount of mycotoxin produced by that mould would reflect a number of different factors including seed variety and tillage practices. Weather variations, including temperature and rainfall could also contribute. What Alltech were particularly keen to stress was that moulds and mycotoxins were, like the poor, always with us; ‘something that we should consider as being far more natural and normal than we perhaps give it credit for’. But Nick Adams, Global Sales Director of Alltech’s Mycotoxin Management Team added that it was ‘important to note that current levels of contamination largely reflect mycotoxin growth before harvest. Subsequent storage of feed often contributes further to the mycotoxin load, by providing warm and moist conditions for mould growth.’ How can potential damage to feed quality this year be mitigated?


Ongoing feed management, Mr Adams said, was the most important tool that growers and feed manufacturers had to minimise the mycotoxin challenge. He encouraged them to test feed ingredients for mycotoxin contamination in order to identify certain commodities or batches that might be more heavily contaminated so they could alter their diet formulations accordingly. They should also take steps to manage the storage of ingredients


in a way that would limit further growth of mould and the production of mycotoxins. Mr Adams said that one way this could be achieved was through a systematic audit, such as the one developed by Alltech, based on HACCP principles and which identified the critical control points impacting the mycotoxin production risk both on farm or at the mill. Mr Adams explained that the critical points acted as ‘triggers for action’; when problems are discovered during the audit, action can be implemented rapidly better to manage both the existing mycotoxin challenge and also to reduce the chance of further contamination, adding that both farmers and feed manufacturers could also use a broad spectrum adsorbent to reduce the total risk to animal health and performance associated with those multiple mycotoxins which did make it into the finished feed. What to do about next year? Alltech are clearly of the opinion


that good agricultural practices are always at the basis of minimising stress that could lead to mould growth and mycotoxin contamination on a growing plant. But Nick Adams wryly concluded that, when one looked at the various risk models that have been developed in this area, one could not help noticing that climatic conditions play a large role in the development of moulds and mycotoxins – ‘and there is not much anybody can do about that’. Looking at the possible impact of the potential mycotoxin challenge


to animal health and performance this year and in the future, Mr Adams noted that speakers at Alltech’s recent European Mycotoxin Management Summit recently stressed that the challenges posed by feeding low- to-medium levels of mycotoxins were similar for all species. They had agreed that even at low-to-moderate but pervasive mycotoxin levels, the animals may reduce their feed intake. This could lead to slower body weight gain and, therefore, increase the number of days to market, of critical importance to livestock producers. Livestock could also show a


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