Trichothecenes are mycotoxins that can be found as contaminants of feedstuffs and affect growth performances of pigs. Aim of the present study was the evaluation of the effect of a detoxifying agent in weaned pigs fed diets contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON). Ninety-six piglets were divided into four groups and received for 40 d a base diet with a) no addition (control diet) or with the addition of b) Mycofix® Plus (Biomin, Herzogenburg, Austria) at 2.5 g/kg, c) DON at 2,500 ppb, d) Mycofix® Plus at 2.5 g/kg + DON at 2,500 ppb. Mycofix® Plus is a commercial product containing binding agents, enzymes and plant extracts. Before trial start, feedstuffs were analyzed for their natural content of DON and other mycotoxins. Corn meal was the most contaminated feedstuff (0.26 and 0.04 ppb of DON and zearalenone, respectively) while DON in barley meal and flakes was under the detection limit (<0.05 ppb). The diet containing only DON significantly reduced ADG between Day 0 and 40 compared with the non-contaminated diets (361 g/d vs. 428 and 417 g/d; P < 0.05) while the negative effect of DON was partially counteracted by Mycofix® Plus (389 g/d). Piglets receiving the non-contaminated diets reached a final live weight of 24.8 and 24.4 kg, while animals fed the DON+Mycofix® Plus and DON diets weighed 23.3 and 22.1 kg, respectively, showing that final live weight was numerically improved when Mycofix® Plus was added to the DON-containing diet. Feed to gain ratio was significantly higher in both DON-containing diets between Day 0 and 21 (1.90 and 1.89 vs. 1.58 and 1.49; P < 0,05) as well as between Day 0 and 40 (1.92 and 1.89 vs. 1.71 and 1.67; P < 0,05). When Mycofix® Plus was added to the control diet, animal growth was not affected. In conclusion, the present study showed that Mycofix® Plus can reduce the toxic effects of high dietary levels of DON in piglets. At the same time, when Mycofix® Plus was added to a diet containing only low levels of DON no negative effect on piglet growth was observed.
Biagi G. (2008). Evaluation of the effect of a detoxifying agent in weaned piglets fed diets contaminated with DON. VIENNA : Binder and Schatzmayr.
Evaluation of the effect of a detoxifying agent in weaned piglets fed diets contaminated with DON
BIAGI, GIACOMO
2008
Abstract
Trichothecenes are mycotoxins that can be found as contaminants of feedstuffs and affect growth performances of pigs. Aim of the present study was the evaluation of the effect of a detoxifying agent in weaned pigs fed diets contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON). Ninety-six piglets were divided into four groups and received for 40 d a base diet with a) no addition (control diet) or with the addition of b) Mycofix® Plus (Biomin, Herzogenburg, Austria) at 2.5 g/kg, c) DON at 2,500 ppb, d) Mycofix® Plus at 2.5 g/kg + DON at 2,500 ppb. Mycofix® Plus is a commercial product containing binding agents, enzymes and plant extracts. Before trial start, feedstuffs were analyzed for their natural content of DON and other mycotoxins. Corn meal was the most contaminated feedstuff (0.26 and 0.04 ppb of DON and zearalenone, respectively) while DON in barley meal and flakes was under the detection limit (<0.05 ppb). The diet containing only DON significantly reduced ADG between Day 0 and 40 compared with the non-contaminated diets (361 g/d vs. 428 and 417 g/d; P < 0.05) while the negative effect of DON was partially counteracted by Mycofix® Plus (389 g/d). Piglets receiving the non-contaminated diets reached a final live weight of 24.8 and 24.4 kg, while animals fed the DON+Mycofix® Plus and DON diets weighed 23.3 and 22.1 kg, respectively, showing that final live weight was numerically improved when Mycofix® Plus was added to the DON-containing diet. Feed to gain ratio was significantly higher in both DON-containing diets between Day 0 and 21 (1.90 and 1.89 vs. 1.58 and 1.49; P < 0,05) as well as between Day 0 and 40 (1.92 and 1.89 vs. 1.71 and 1.67; P < 0,05). When Mycofix® Plus was added to the control diet, animal growth was not affected. In conclusion, the present study showed that Mycofix® Plus can reduce the toxic effects of high dietary levels of DON in piglets. At the same time, when Mycofix® Plus was added to a diet containing only low levels of DON no negative effect on piglet growth was observed.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
