Effects of Mycotoxins on Dairy Production Research 2022

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Title: Effects of Mycotoxins on Dairy Production

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Introduction
Berkerroum (2016) describes mycotoxins as chemical substances found in crops and
cause toxic symptoms when ingested by either man or animals. These mycotoxins are produced
by fungi. When a dairy cow ingest food containing these fungi, they suffer from mycosis.
Mycosis attacks cattle especially during stress as their immunity is suppressed. This infection
attacks the intestines, mammary glands, lungs and the uterus, where in the intestines it could lead
to hemorrhagic bowel. Animals could also suffer from mycotoxicosis after consuming foods
containing molds which produce a poisonous substance called mycotoxins. Whitlow and Hagler
(2017), dairy cattle are more resistant to mycotoxins than the beef cattle due to mycotoxin
degradation in the rumen. However, the dairy cattle are more susceptible to these poisonous
chemical substances due to their high feed consumption and stress during production. Ruminants
are exposed to a broader range of mycotoxins as they consume by-product feeds, forages and wet
feeds, which have a higher concentration of these chemicals as compared to dry grain mixtures.
Mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, T-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol, fumonisin, PR toxin, achratoxin,
roquefortine C and mycophenolic acid are a great risk to dairy cattle.
Enyiukwu, Awurum and Nwaneri (2014) claim that that mycotoxins producing fungi
are ubiquitous and are capable of infecting grains at any level, that is during production,
processing and supply chains. Mold infection occurs in the fields as a result of insect infection,
dump conditions, delayed harvesting, poor post-harvest handling, drying, transport and storage
(Tiffany, 2013). Okello et al (2010) associate mycotoxins with oil foods and foods like maize,
wheat, sorghum, wheat and oat, which are mainly human stable foods and raw materials for
livestock.

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Diseases caused by mold on dairy cattle
The most common fungal pathogens on dairy cattle include Aspergillus fumigatus,
Candida vaginitis, candida albicans and Fusarium species. Aspergillus fumigatus is well known
for its effects on dairy cattle. This pathogen is thought to cause mastitis, abortions, mycotic
pneumonia and also has been linked with mycotic hemorrhagic bowel syndrome. This pathogen
is common in hays and silages. Health cows with active immunity are highly resistant to mycotic
infection, however, during the early stages of lactation, dairy cows have suppressed immunity.
Mycotoxins are capable of suppressing the cow’s immunity and hence the affectivity of the fungi
increases. Cattle that consume silage with A. fumigatus show symptoms of malnutrition,
diarrhea, protein deficiency, irritability and even lead to death. When cattle feed on hay having
this pathogen, histopathological changes in the kidneys and liver, and retarded growth are
experienced. Animals infected with A. fumigatus were found to produce high levels of gliotoxin,
which has antibacterial, apoptotic and immunosuppressive effects on the animal and also
influences rumen fermentation. Like A. fumigatus, T-2 toxin is thought to have almost similar
effects on animals. Researchers therefore claim that to control these fungi caused infection on
animals, there is need for a better plan to reduce animal exposure to moldy feeds and mycotoxins
(Becker-Algeri et al. 2016).
Mycotoxin formation and occurrence
Molds grow and mycotoxins are produced during the pre-harvest period or during
transport, storage, feeding or processing of food substances. The growth of mold and production
of mycotoxin are associated with the stress on the plant as a result of insect damage, poor feeding

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conditions, poor weather conditions or inadequate storage practices. Environmental conditions
stress the plants in the fields and expose them mycotoxin contamination. Molds are found in
feeds with a moisture content of about 12 to 15 percent. High moisture content in feeds such as
silage, in presence of oxygen promote the growth of the mold. Since most molds are aerobic,
high levels of moisture in the absence of air can prevent their growth. The conditions promoting
mold growth are not and those promoting mycotoxin formation are not always the same. The
Fusarium molds grow at temperatures between 25 and 30̊ C with little mycotoxins, but at low
temperatures more mycotoxins are formed. Omeiza et al. (2018) claim that about 25 percent of
crops are affected by mycotoxins every year. The effect of mycotoxin on crops cost about $ 1.4
billion to the US agricultural economy. This leads to crop losses and also affects livestock
productivity.
Effects of mycotoxin
Mycotoxicology (the study of mycotoxins) started in the UK after the outbreak of
Turkey-X infection in 1960. The outbreak was brought by peanut meal imported from Brazil.
After massive research, a blue like toxin and A. flavus were discovered, which were the toxic
chemical substances in the peanut meal (Makun et al. 2010). This chemical substance was called
aflatoxin and was found to be very toxic and carcinogenic to animals and caused toxic metabolite
in dairy milk. The discovery of aflatoxin and its effects provoked more research on dairy health
and production problems caused by mycotoxins and moldy feeds. Large doses of mycotoxins are
thought to be the primary cause of acute health and production problems in dairy farming.
Mycotoxin is also a contributing factor increased diseases, poor production and suboptimal
production of diary milk. Although ruminal degradation of mycotoxins protects the dairy cow
from acute toxicity, it also exposes the cow to chronic health problems linked with long term