Vomitoxin in Corn Fed to Young Pigs

Abstract

Four trials were conducted with young pigs to evaluate the effect of dietary level of vomitoxin-contaminated corn on performance and pathology. A dietary level of approximately 20 ppm vomitoxin caused vomiting, 12 ppm vomitoxin caused almost complete feed refusal and 1.3 ppm caused a significant depression in feed intake and rate Of gain. No lesions attributable to vomitoxin were observed in pigs fed up to 43 ppm dietary vomitoxin for a 21-d period. Alterations in various blood serum characteristics were observed in pigs fed vomitoxin, however, the effects could not be separated from those that may result from low intake of food.

The Effects of Acute Exposure to Deoxynivalenol on Some Inflammatory Parameters in Miniature Pigs

“…The clinical symptoms observed in our DON-injected pigs were consistent with other reports of acute DON intoxication, which found increased salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, malaise, and anorexia [13,20,24,31]. Necropsy and histopathological findings were similar to those in the former report [13].…”

The Effect of Naringenin on the Fate and Disposition of Deoxynivalenol in Piglets

“…DON is the most abundant of the trichothecenes and has been found in a variety of foodstuffs worldwide, including wheat, maize, barley, oats, and rice [6,7,10,26]. DON contamination has been associated with various adverse effects, such as feed refusal, anorexia, weight loss, vomiting and immunotoxic effects in animals [4,5,13,18,23,28]. Consistent with this, DON is stable during the storage and processing of foods at high temperature [20,22].…”

Effect of Feeding Deoxynivalenol (Vomitoxin)-Contaminated Barley to Horses

“…22 The genus Fusarium occurs throughout the world and may affect corn, wheat, barley, oats, rice, and sorghum and complete feed formulations. 7,19,[21][22][23] Cereal grain contamination by DON occurs most frequently when conditions are cool and wet at the time of grain formation and harvest and is associated predominantly with infection in the field rather than as a complication of storage. 7 Although most descriptions of widespread grain contamination by DON have been confined to temperate zones of the world, 7,19 DON contamination has also been reported to affect grain in subtropical climates.…”

“…3 Deoxynivalenol has been given the trivial name vomitoxin because it causes emesis when ingested by swine and dogs. 21 Other clinical effects attributed to the toxic effects of ingested DON include feed refusa1, 20,23 decreased weight gain, 6,7,20 signs of gastrointestinal irritation (e.g., diarrhea, colic, rectal prolapse, hematochezia), 3,7,15 thickening of the squamous aspect of the gastric lining of pigs, 16 reproductive problems, 7 skin irritation, 3,7 cardiotoxicity, 15 and interference with the immune system. 16 The extent to which DON causes clinical signs of toxicosis is proportional to its concentration in contaminated feed.…”

“…16 The extent to which DON causes clinical signs of toxicosis is proportional to its concentration in contaminated feed. 6,23 Ingested DON also affects intestinal immunoglobulin synthesis. Specifically, DON stimulates intestinal IgA production in mice, leading to an elevated concentration of circulating IgA, increased polymeric : monomeric IgA ratio, and accumulation of IgA in the renal mesangium.…”