ISSUE FOCUS 44 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE October 2023 chickens fed a diet contaminated with 5 mg DON/ kg of feed were more prone to developing necrotic enteritis lesions compared to chickens on a control diet (Antonissen et al., 2014). In that case, DON acted as a predisposing factor by damaging the intestinal mucosa, leading to leakage of nutrients into the intestinal lumen, therefore providing the necessary growth substrate for extensive proliferation of C. perfringens. Another predisposing factor to necrotic enteritis is mucosal damage caused by coccidial pathogens. The interaction of toxins from Fusarium with strains of Eimeria responsible for coccidiosis in poultry has been investigated. Realistic (Girgis et al., 2010a) and occasional (Girgis et al., 2010b) doses of Fusarium mycotoxins have also shown delayed intestinal recovery, up-regulation of IFN-γ and delayed recruitment of CD4+ and CD8+ cells after Eimeria challenges in chickens. Similarly, chickens challenged with strains of Eimeria and fed with either individual doses of DON and fumonisins (FUM) or in combination (1.5 mg DON/kg and 20 mg FUM/kg diet) showed a higher occurrence of lesions in the GIT and more oocysts in the jejunum and excreta compared to only Eimeria-challenged birds on the control diet (Grenier et al., unpublished data). Further, high (and unrealistic) doses of OTA to broilers (Koynarski et al., 2007a) and turkeys (Koynarsky et al., 2007b) have resulted in more severe lesion scores and greater incidence of bloody diarrhea after an Eimeria challenge. Besides, typical upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines following coccidial infection was stronger in the jejunum of birds fed DON and fumonisin in combination, suggesting an exacerbation of the inflammatory response that might lead to tissue damage. MITIGATING THE MYCOTOXIN THREAT Although mycotoxins are an unavoidable problem and can have a detrimental effect on gut health and the microbiome, some key management practices can help reduce the risk of such occurrences. Alltech believes that effective mycotoxin management is about seeing the whole challenge, from the farm to the feed mill and from risk assessment to feed management. To effectively manage the inevitability of feed mycotoxin contamination, it is crucial to understand the level of mycotoxin challenges so that the right steps can be taken to mitigate any adverse effects on animal performance, production efficiency and food safety. Full list of references available on request. About Dr. Radka Borutova A native of Slovakia, Dr. Radka Borutova received a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Kosice. Her doctoral thesis was titled "Effects of fusarium mycotoxins on antioxidant and immune status in poultry," and she has since authored 14 peer-reviewed studies about mycotoxins. Dr. Borutova has more than 12 years of experience in the global animal nutrition industry, where she has served in prominent roles at several leading institutions. Over the course of her career, Dr. Borutova has worked with stakeholders throughout the feed supply chain to better understand the impact of mycotoxins in all primary species and to help establish the most effective strategies for mitigating mycotoxin risks. Dr. Borutova currently serves as the European technical support manager for the Mycotoxin Management program at Alltech. She has previously served as the chief state counsellor in the Ministry of Agriculture for the Slovak Republic and as a post-graduate student, teacher and member of the Laboratory of Selenium Metabolism at the Institute of Animal Physiology at the Slovak Academy of Sciences. About Dr. Alexandra Weaver Dr. Alexandra Weaver obtained her master’s degree and Ph.D. in animal science and nutrition from North Carolina State University under the direction of Dr. Sung Woo Kim. Her dissertation is entitled “The impact of mycotoxins on growth and health of swine,” which investigated the effects of mycotoxins on the performance, immunity, oxidative stress, gut health and reproductive capacity of pigs. She has published multiple research articles in several journals, including the Journal of Animal Science. In 2013, Weaver joined the Alltech® Mycotoxin Management team. In this role, she helps producers and nutritionists of all species understand and manage mycotoxins.
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