Producer > Pig
Q. 2. What are the symptoms of mycotoxicosis in your pig herd?
(a) Common effects of mycotoxins
- Reduced feed intake
- Reduced growth rate
- Increased age at puberty of gilts or boars
- Reduced libido
- Poor semen quality
- Low sperm concentration
- Reduced fertilisation
- Unexplained levels of infertility in sows and boars
- Reduced numbers born and milking ability
- Abortion
- Increased foetal re-absorption
- Sudden deaths
- Higher incidence of liver and/or kidney damage
- Increased disease incidence
- Poor immunity
- Inconsistency of animal body condition
- Pale pigs
- Vomiting
- Rectal or vaginal prolapses
- Weak pigs
- Bloody faeces
- Erysipelas
Symptom: Rectal Vaginal prolapse
Symptom: Splay legs
Symptom: Inflammation of vulva in piglet
Symptom: Skin lesions
(b) Are there safe levels of mycotoxins for pigs?
Pigs are extremely sensitive to mycotoxins and their presence, even at low levels, in feed reduces performance in growing and breeding animals, affects the immune and health status and can ultimately lead to death. Irreversible tissue damage occur, impairing animal performance even when no mycotoxins are present, according to the analysis.
The toxicity thresholds vary between classes of stock and health status. Seldom do mycotoxins occur in isolation and there are additive or synergistic interactions between different toxins which markedly decrease the thresholds for concern. Consequently there is really no safe level of mycotoxins.
