Nutritionist > Poultry

Fumonisin
Broilers and turkeys seem relatively resistant to acute toxic effects of fumonisins. 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:

• Spiking mortality (paralysis, extended legs and neck, wobbly gait, gasping)
• Reduced growth rate
• Increased organ weights
• Hepatocellular hyperplasia
• Poor vaccination response
• Increased liver sphinganine : sphingosine ration (biomarker)