Alltech is advising industry stakeholders that recent severe weather across the U.S. is resulting in a high risk for mycotoxins.
Harvest samples from across the U.S. are currently being submitted to the Alltech 37+® mycotoxin analytical services laboratory, and the analysis is showing high levels of mycotoxins, as in past years, of DON, fusaric acid and fumonisin, as well as HT-2 this year.
“The extreme weather events that we’ve seen across the U.S. this year present different challenges, different types of molds and different types of mycotoxins,” said Dr. Max Hawkins, nutritionist with the Alltech® Mycotoxin Management team. “And we monitor those risks with our harvest analysis through the Alltech 37+® mycotoxin tests to evaluate risk to livestock health and performance.”
Mycotoxins are seldom found in isolation, and when multiple mycotoxins are consumed, they may have additive, or even synergistic, interactions that increase the overall risk to performance and health. As a result, an animal may have a stronger response than what would be expected if it was only experiencing a single mycotoxin challenge. In 2017, 95 percent of samples submitted tested positive for at least five mycotoxins.
Testing feedstuffs and finished feeds is important to understand the risk of mycotoxins, so Alltech is currently offering a free 37+® mycotoxin test to producers. Visit knowmycotoxins.com/freetest for more information.
