Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry 2011 Volume 27, Issue 3, Pages: 643-657
https://doi.org/10.2298/BAH1103643K
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Importance of toxigenic Fusarium species in animal food
Krnjaja V. (Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun)
Lević J. (Maize Research Institute „Zemun Polje”, Belgrade-Zemun)
Stanković S. (Maize Research Institute „Zemun Polje”, Belgrade-Zemun)
Numerous plant species, which are main components of various mixtures used in
animal nutrition, can be contaminated by mycotoxins created by large number
of pathogenic and toxigenic fungi (moulds). From the aspect of animal
nutrition, most important are cereals and oil crops (in form of meals)
because they constitute the highest share in preparation of animal food, and
on the other hand, they are especially sensitive to toxigenic fungi and can
contain mycotoxins above maximum allowed quantity. Contamination of plants or
certain plant parts, of which the grain is of major importance, occurs in the
field or during storage, as consequence of growth of toxigenic fungi.
Numerous factors favour and contribute to growth of moulds, such as
environment conditions, stress, sensitivity of genotype to fungi and insects,
moisture content, etc. Species of the Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium
genera, from the mycotoxicological aspect, are the most important pathogens
isolated in livestock feed in Serbia. However, the most studied plant
pathogenic fungi are Fusarium species, and there are several reasons for
this. Firstly, each year, in higher or lower percentage, they cause diseases
on maize, wheat, barley and other cereal species, which are major component
of animal and human nutriiton. Secondly, they have cause in certain years
mass incidence of mycotoxicosis in animals, esepcially in pigs. F.
graminearum is the most important pathogenic species for wheat, barley and
maize, F. poae for wheat and barley, whereas species from the section Liseola
(F. verticillioides, F. subglutinans and F. proliferatum) are more
significant for maize and sorghum. In addition to above mentioned, the
presence of other Fusarium species was determined, although in small
percentage, but very toxigenic and cannot be neglected as potential animal
food contaminants. Considering the prevelance of certain toxigenic species in
Serbia, three groups of mycotixins produced by Fusarium fungi species can be
considered as the most important from the aspect of animal health. Within the
group of trichothecenes, deoxynivalenol (DON) is associated with situations
when pigs refuse to eat, whereas toxin T-2 can cause reproduction disorders
in sows. Other group includes zearalenone (ZON) and its derivatives which
cause estrogenism. Third group includes fumonisins which are associated with
specific syndroms of toxicity such as equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM) and
porcine pulmonary oedema (PPE). Growth and presence of Fusarium species in
grains and animal food, becuase of the production of mycotoxins, has been
current topic in many researches world wide.
Keywords: toxigenic Fusarium species, mycotoxins, animal food
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