As people's living standards have improved in recent years, they have become especially concerned about food safety. People pay attention to safety indicators for all kinds of food and ingredients, and eggs and meat, which appear on our dinner tables every day, are no exception. This has raised the food-safety requirements for livestock and poultry producers. To ensure the quality of their eggs and meat, producers must pay close attention to feed quality. Feed production requires not only high-quality formulations but also careful attention to mycotoxin levels in feed products. As the industry has become increasingly aware of the hazards posed by mycotoxins, it is paying close attention to the toxin levels in the feed products it uses.
Mycotoxins are toxic metabolic products produced as molds grow and reproduce on various substrates. They are widespread in feed. When livestock and poultry consume feed containing excessive toxin levels, mycotoxicosis can occur and cause a range of problems.
Toxins in feed generally originate from grain ingredients. High-protein ingredients tend to contain fewer toxins, and at lower levels (except corn and other grain by-products). Feed companies primarily test incoming raw materials such as corn, wheat, and rice, as well as grain by-products. By-products generally include wheat bran, wheat middlings, corn bran, sprayed corn bran, corn gluten meal, DDGS, corn distillers grains, rice DDGS, and white liquor distillers grains, among others. Companies generally monitor six common mycotoxins in these ingredients in real time to ensure the quality of the raw materials and, in turn, the quality of the finished feed. Feed manufacturers routinely test the above ingredients for aflatoxin, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins, T2 toxin, and ochratoxin. These toxins can seriously harm livestock and poultry and cause substantial losses to the livestock industry, so finished-feed toxin levels must be strictly controlled before feeding animals.
Aflatoxin is most likely to exceed limits in corn and its by-products and is highly toxic. Symptoms of poisoning include liver enlargement and degeneration, jaundice, anemia, and neurological symptoms. Zearalenone poisoning can cause miscarriage and swelling in livestock, as well as estrogenic syndromes such as precocious and pseudopuberty. Deoxynivalenol poisoning primarily causes vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Ochratoxin mainly causes kidney degeneration and enlargement, blood in the urine, and hepatocyte necrosis. Excessive levels of T2 toxin can cause feed refusal, vomiting, enteritis, and bloody stools in livestock. Fumonisins can damage animals' livers and kidneys. Therefore, the initial inspection (sensory evaluation) is very important when purchasing corn or other energy ingredients. Moldy grain must be controlled strictly in accordance with national standards. Corn by-products must also be tested by batch upon arrival and monitored during storage. Toxin testing of other grain ingredients and by-products must not be overlooked either: these energy ingredients make up a very large proportion of compound feed, so companies need to give them particular attention.
First, we need to understand how these toxins are produced. Mycotoxins can arise at three stages: in the field, during storage, and in feed. Toxins that develop in corn, wheat, rice, and other grains while they are still growing in the field are called field mycotoxins. Toxins can also form after purchase during storage because of factors such as temperature, humidity, and storage conditions. This means feed companies' quality-control departments must take particular care during storage. Toxins can also form if finished feed is not stored in accordance with requirements after being placed in a silo or bagged, due to factors such as ventilation, weather, temperature, and humidity.
We can do very little about raw materials that become moldy in the field, as this is determined by climate and geography. However, the feed stage is controllable: effective control can be achieved by strictly checking raw-material quality. The critical issue is storage. Grain raw materials may have uneven moisture levels when purchased, with some portions dry and others wet. Combined with storage limitations, this is where many toxin problems arise. Toxins existed long before other life forms on Earth. Perhaps there are even more types of viruses currently frozen in the Arctic or Antarctic. So why have the harmful effects of mycotoxins become more serious in recent years? In addition to improved testing that has helped people learn more about their presence, problems with grain storage have also contributed.
In previous years, we focused on locally grown corn. The moisture content of local corn was generally within the acceptable range, while corn from other regions—especially Northeast China—had a much higher moisture content. The growing season in Northeast China is short, and winter arrives early. After harvest, the corn may be put into storage before there is time to dry it. When purchasing this type of corn, pay particular attention to its moisture content, and monitor temperature changes inside the storage bin. If stored improperly, this corn can easily develop mycotoxins. In recent years, corn dried using dryers has also become available. This type of corn has a very low moisture content, but its toxin levels must be monitored at all times because we cannot assess its quality before drying. Although its moisture content meets our purchasing standards, its other indicators are difficult to control. If its toxin levels are already high, suitable temperatures during storage may also cause toxins to proliferate in nearby corn.
Because mold is widespread, it is difficult to control in feed, so prevention must be the priority. In addition to controlling the source of raw materials before feed production, targeted mold inhibitors or mycotoxin binders should also be added to the feed. Never feed spoiled or moldy feed. Control feed moisture, treat moldy feed to remove mycotoxins, and respond appropriately to moldy feed as early as possible to reduce risk.
Mycotoxins are toxic metabolic products produced as molds grow and reproduce on various substrates. They are widespread in feed. When livestock and poultry consume feed containing excessive toxin levels, mycotoxicosis can occur and cause a range of problems.
Toxins in feed generally originate from grain ingredients. High-protein ingredients tend to contain fewer toxins, and at lower levels (except corn and other grain by-products). Feed companies primarily test incoming raw materials such as corn, wheat, and rice, as well as grain by-products. By-products generally include wheat bran, wheat middlings, corn bran, sprayed corn bran, corn gluten meal, DDGS, corn distillers grains, rice DDGS, and white liquor distillers grains, among others. Companies generally monitor six common mycotoxins in these ingredients in real time to ensure the quality of the raw materials and, in turn, the quality of the finished feed. Feed manufacturers routinely test the above ingredients for aflatoxin, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins, T2 toxin, and ochratoxin. These toxins can seriously harm livestock and poultry and cause substantial losses to the livestock industry, so finished-feed toxin levels must be strictly controlled before feeding animals.
Aflatoxin is most likely to exceed limits in corn and its by-products and is highly toxic. Symptoms of poisoning include liver enlargement and degeneration, jaundice, anemia, and neurological symptoms. Zearalenone poisoning can cause miscarriage and swelling in livestock, as well as estrogenic syndromes such as precocious and pseudopuberty. Deoxynivalenol poisoning primarily causes vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Ochratoxin mainly causes kidney degeneration and enlargement, blood in the urine, and hepatocyte necrosis. Excessive levels of T2 toxin can cause feed refusal, vomiting, enteritis, and bloody stools in livestock. Fumonisins can damage animals' livers and kidneys. Therefore, the initial inspection (sensory evaluation) is very important when purchasing corn or other energy ingredients. Moldy grain must be controlled strictly in accordance with national standards. Corn by-products must also be tested by batch upon arrival and monitored during storage. Toxin testing of other grain ingredients and by-products must not be overlooked either: these energy ingredients make up a very large proportion of compound feed, so companies need to give them particular attention.
First, we need to understand how these toxins are produced. Mycotoxins can arise at three stages: in the field, during storage, and in feed. Toxins that develop in corn, wheat, rice, and other grains while they are still growing in the field are called field mycotoxins. Toxins can also form after purchase during storage because of factors such as temperature, humidity, and storage conditions. This means feed companies' quality-control departments must take particular care during storage. Toxins can also form if finished feed is not stored in accordance with requirements after being placed in a silo or bagged, due to factors such as ventilation, weather, temperature, and humidity.
We can do very little about raw materials that become moldy in the field, as this is determined by climate and geography. However, the feed stage is controllable: effective control can be achieved by strictly checking raw-material quality. The critical issue is storage. Grain raw materials may have uneven moisture levels when purchased, with some portions dry and others wet. Combined with storage limitations, this is where many toxin problems arise. Toxins existed long before other life forms on Earth. Perhaps there are even more types of viruses currently frozen in the Arctic or Antarctic. So why have the harmful effects of mycotoxins become more serious in recent years? In addition to improved testing that has helped people learn more about their presence, problems with grain storage have also contributed.
In previous years, we focused on locally grown corn. The moisture content of local corn was generally within the acceptable range, while corn from other regions—especially Northeast China—had a much higher moisture content. The growing season in Northeast China is short, and winter arrives early. After harvest, the corn may be put into storage before there is time to dry it. When purchasing this type of corn, pay particular attention to its moisture content, and monitor temperature changes inside the storage bin. If stored improperly, this corn can easily develop mycotoxins. In recent years, corn dried using dryers has also become available. This type of corn has a very low moisture content, but its toxin levels must be monitored at all times because we cannot assess its quality before drying. Although its moisture content meets our purchasing standards, its other indicators are difficult to control. If its toxin levels are already high, suitable temperatures during storage may also cause toxins to proliferate in nearby corn.
Because mold is widespread, it is difficult to control in feed, so prevention must be the priority. In addition to controlling the source of raw materials before feed production, targeted mold inhibitors or mycotoxin binders should also be added to the feed. Never feed spoiled or moldy feed. Control feed moisture, treat moldy feed to remove mycotoxins, and respond appropriately to moldy feed as early as possible to reduce risk.