Nutritionist > Dairy

Zearalenone
Zearalenone often occurs with DON in naturally contaminated cereals or in forages. Zearalenone is partially metabolised in the rumen to alfa-zearalenol and to a lesser extent to beta-zearalenol. All those compounds have shown no toxic effects on rumen bacteria and hence do not seem to influence rumen fermentation and metabolism. However, as alfa-zearalenol is about four times more oestrogenic than the parent mycotoxin, the ruminal transformation does not lead to detoxification. Due to its oestrogenic activity the primary effects of zearalenone and its metabolites are reproductive problems.

The rate of zearalenone transfer into the milk is low and presents no real risk to consumers of dairy products.

Clinical signs of zearalenone toxicity include:

• Abortions
• Decreased embryo survival
• Infertility and mammary gland enlargement of virgin heifers
• Oedema and hypertrophy of the genitalia in pre-pubertal females
• Vaginitis
• Vaginal secretions
• Feminisation of young males
• Infertility of young males