Pig disease link?
Pig disease link?
COULD the pig wasting diseases, known as PMWS and PDNS, be linked to grain contaminated with mycotoxins?
Answering a question posed by a delegate at Alltechs annual conference in Birmingham last week, Trevor Smith, a researcher at Canadas University of Guelph, believed it was possible.
"Broiler research shows that mycotoxins compromise the immune system. A similar effect may occur in pigs, making them susceptible to these wasting diseases."
Fusarium is the most common form of mycotoxin found in temperate countries, rarely found in UK cereals, but it may present a risk in soya, said Prof Smith.
"Fusarium is difficult to analyse for, but when contamination is suspected the whole feed should be analysed as protein crops such as soya and canola can carry toxin."
High moisture grain may carry twice the level of fusarium toxins compared with grains having an acceptable moisture content. "Fusarium mycotoxin contamination is on the rise. Increasing levels of rainfall mean it will become increasingly difficult to secure uncontaminated grains in future."
As well as having a negative effect on the immune system, mycotoxins also cause loss of appetite, digestive tract ulcers and loss of fertility in boars, warned Prof Smith.
A product developed by Alltech called Mycosorb – which binds mycotoxins – could help alleviate problems, he added.
MYCOTOXINS
• Likely to increase
• Present in protein feeds
• Link with PAIWS?
MYCOTOXINS
• Likely to increase.
• Present in protein feeds.
• Link with PMWS?