ARTICLE 92 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE September 2024 Cargill’s extensive database and expertise place us in a unique position to support dairy producers in understanding and mitigating the risks associated with mycotoxins. By understanding the specific mycotoxins present in the diet, farmers can take proactive steps to mitigate the risks and protect their herds. Cargill's database is not only a tool for identifying contamination but also a foundation for creating tailored mycotoxin management strategies that are both effective and cost-efficient. UNDERSTANDING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF MYCOTOXINS IN DAIRY COWS: A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH The rumen's complex ecosystem allows ruminants to tolerate higher levels of mycotoxins than monogastric animals, but this tolerance has limits. The rumen, while capable of detoxifying some mycotoxins, cannot fully neutralize all of them. In fact, it can sometimes convert them into more toxic compounds. In addition, the increasing demand for higher milk production has placed additional stress on dairy cows. Their diet has become more fermentable, which reduces rumen retention time, increases the risk of acidosis, alters the rumen microbial population, and ultimately limits the rumen's ability to effectively detoxify mycotoxins. Mycotoxin exposure in dairy cows can lead to a range of metabolic and immune issues. While acute toxicity from high mycotoxin levels is rare, chronic exposure to low levels is more common and often more damaging. The symptoms of mycotoxins are often non-specific and can be mistaken for other issues, making the diagnosis challenging. These sympTotal Analyses % Contaminated Above Detection Limit % Contaminated Analyses Above Perf. Risk Threshold Avg. Contamination (ppb) Max. Contamination (ppb) Aflatoxin (Total) Fumonisin Ochratoxin T2 Toxin (Total) Vomitoxin Zearalenone 678.40 49,531.66 10,000.00 371.10 3,242.32 3,000.00 9,795 3,130 2,616 2,418 4,560 4,905 68% 42% 70% 50% 39% 77% 21.09 426.29 33.15 21.86 149.76 70.32 20% 7% 1% 11% 8% 45% Total Analyses % Contaminated Above Detection Limit % Contaminated Analyses Above Perf. Risk Threshold Avg. Contamination (ppb) Max. Contamination (ppb) Aflatoxin (Total) Fumonisin Ochratoxin T2 Toxin (Total) Vomitoxin Zearalenone 84.00 25,342.25 100.00 1,104.62 25,832.60 11,647.00 9,789 1,881 1,536 3,002 5,794 3,608 27% 50% 68% 14% 75% 56% 1.54 1598.85 1.71 26.43 2175.73 196.08 0% 34% 0% 4% 70% 44%
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