Nutritionist > Dairy

Fumonisin
Fumonisins occur world wide in feedstuffs. In contract to other mycotoxins, fumonisin B1 which is the most prevalent of the fumonsins, is relative slowly and poorly metabolised in the rumen. Despite this, fumonisin does not seem to affect rumen metabolism. Target organs in ruminants are the liver and the kidney.

Fumonisin mycotoxicosis leads to a very specific increase in sphiganine:sphingosine ratio. However, as sphinganine and sphingosine analyses are quite complex this ratio is seldom used as a biomarker in field situations.

Clinical signs of fumonisin toxicity include:

• Reduced feed intake
• Reduce weight gain
• Reduce milk production
• Increased liver sphinganine : sphingosine ratio (biomarker