EFFECTS OF NATURALLY PRODUCED DIETARY FUSARIUM MYCOTOXINS ON WEANING PIGS

Mycotoxins reduce animal productivity and animal health. The influence of Fusarium mycotoxins in corn co-products on pig performance is an important issue in swine feed industry. This study was conducted to determine the effects of naturally produced Fusarium mycotoxins in Corn Gluten Meal (CGM) on growth performance of nursery pigs. A total 96 weaning pigs comprising 48 gilts and 48 barrows with an initial body weight of 5.08 kg (SD = 1.28) were grouped into 3 blocks in each sex by initial body weight and randomly allotted to 4 treatments in a randomized complete block design. There were 6 replicate pens per treatment and 4 pigs were housed in each pen. The 4 experimental diets mainly based on corn, CGM, dried whey and soybean meal were formulated to contain 4 concentrations of mycotoxins derived from the contaminated CGM. Diet 1 contained 32 µg kg^-1 Deoxynivalenol (DON) and 6 µg kg^-1 Zearalenone (ZON) and diets 2, 3 and 4 contained 532, 1,033 and 1,534 µg kg^-1 DON and 203, 399 and 596 µg kg^-1 ZON, respectively. During the first 14 d of experiment, Average Daily Gain (ADG) was reduced linearly and quadratically (p<0.05) as concentration of dietary mycotoxin increased. Average Daily Feed Intake (ADFI) had a tendency for quadratic decrease (p = 0.059) with increasing dietary mycotoxin concentrations. Both ADG and ADFI from d 14 to 28 linearly decreased with increasing concentration of mycotoxins (p<0.05). During the overall experimental period, both ADG and ADFI linearly depressed with increasing concentration of mycotoxins (p<0.05). In conclusion, the current study showed that dietary Fusarium mycotoxins derived from contaminated CGM by Fusarium fungi resulted in decreased growth performance of nursery pigs. Swine nutritionists may increase nutrient concentrations of diets to partially overcome the negeative effects of Fusarium mycotoxins in corn co-products on feed intake of pigs.