ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2024 51 Mycotoxins are toxic to the rumen microbes before being toxic to the cow, leading to reduced microbial activity. Reduced microbial activity results in a lower feed digestibility, which results in less nutrients being available for milk and meat production. In addition, certain mycotoxins like deoxynivalenol and other trichothecenes can limit feed intake by provoking feelings of satiety in animals. MANAGING MYCOTOXINS FOR MAXIMUM PRODUCTIVITY OF BEEF AND DAIRY CATTLE Ignacio Artavia Global Marketing Manager for Ruminants Animal Nutrition and Health dsm-firmenich MYCOTOXINS REDUCE DRY MATTER INTAKE The intake of feed by an animal is closely tied to its ability to either increase body weight or yield milk. Greater food consumption generally leads to higher production. Maintaining an optimal Daily Dry Matter Intake (DMI) is crucial during transition periods like after calving in dairy cows to reduce metabolic issues and enhance reproductive performance or when switching beef animals into a feedlot regime. The trichothecenes family is notorious for its detrimental effects on mammalian appetite due to its ability to trigger the release of the satiety hormone known as CCK, which induces a sense of fullness and reduces feed intake. Average daily feed intake 11 10,5 10 9,5 9 8,5 8 kg 3 2,5 2 1,5 1 0,5 0 kg Baseline MTX Week 1 MTX Week 2 MTX Week 3 Washout Week 1 Washout Week 2 Baseline Control DON + FUM MTX Week 1 MTX Week 2 MTX Week 3 Washout Week 1 Washout Week 2 Average daily weight gain per week Figure 1. Average daily feed intake and average daily weight gain per week progression during the trial (* indicates a p<0.1, Durninger et al., 2020)
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