Mycology and mycotoxicology safety of the feed | Mikološka i mikotoksikološka ispravnost hrane za životinje

Mycology and mycotoxicology contamination of the feed and its components is one of the most serious problems in the cattle breeding, especially in the poultry production. This was the reason to examine in 2007 a certain number of specimens of feeds and their components for the presence and number of mildews, as well as contamination of specimens by mycotoxins. For the interpretation of our examination results it was used regulation of maximal quantity of harmful substances and components in the feed (Governmental newspaper of SFRY, no. 2/90 and 27/90, paragraphs: 8, 9 and 11). It was also examined the correlation between the number of mildews and the concentration of mycotoxins in the specimens. It was examined 109 different specimens of feeds and their components; 83 from the Podunavski region and 26 specimens from the Branicevo region. The established number of mildews, in the specimens it was in permitted levels according to Regulation. In one of the specimens, the established number of mildews was just at permitted level. Presence and concentrations of mycotoxins: Ochratoxin A, total Aflatoxin, Zearalenon and T-2 toxin were examined by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay). After the mycology plates seeding, specimens were frozen at -20 deg C to avoid possibility of mildews multiplying and the production of mycotoxins. Forty specimens were subjected to mycotoxicology examination, 20 with the lowest and 20 with the highest established number of mildews. Ochratoxin A was established in 4 specimens (10%), total Aflatoxin in 27 (67.5%), Zearelenon in 38 (95%) and T-2 toxin in all examined specimens (100%). In the most of examined specimens there were two, three or four mycotoxins present. All mycotoxins were present in permitted levels according to Regulation, except of Zearalenon in one specimen of grower for piglets between 15 and 25 kg of body weight. Although almost all mycotoxins were present in small quantity in examined specimens, in the case where several mycotoxins were present in one specimen, their synergistic effect should be considered, especially if they were takened in long periods of time by animals. Mycotoxins can be produced in different phases of feed production or storing. Therefore numbers of mildews do not have to be in correlation with concentrations of mycotoxins. Coefficients of linear correlations, which have been established in our examination, between numbers of mildews and concentrations of mycotoxins were very low.