As if 2009 didn’t prove to be difficult enough with high corn and soybean prices, weather challenges and the H1N1 virus, the swine industry has already found turmoil in 2010. After losing approximately $20 a head last year, now swine operations have to worry about their hogs gaining weight.
According to the Dow Jones, the average body weight of barrows and gilts slaughtered during the week of January 30 was 200 pounds, down one pound from the previous week’s average and down two pounds from the same time period last year. Iowa-Minnesota live weights for the week of January 29 averaged 268.9 pounds, down 1.5 pounds for the week and 0.3 pounds from a year ago.
Many swine experts believe it’s not a new diet or stressful winter that is causing the hogs to shed pounds, but rather the ever-present issue of the poor 2009 harvest. Some producers, nutritionists and veterinarians may think their bumper crop and supply of feed went unscathed from the initial reports of possible molds and mycotoxins in the 2009 crop’s moist yield. However, while grain can look completely clean to the naked eye, the potential for mycotoxins is still there.
Mycotoxins, harmful toxins produced by molds, can create a variety of health problems for animals, depending on species and type of toxins identified. Regulation limits are in place; however mycotoxins are synergistic, meaning
that combinations of mycotoxins can have a greater impact than single toxins.
According to a recent report by Dairyland Laboratories in Arcadia, WI, out of 883 samples taken from October 1 to December 30, 2009; 81 percent tested positive for DON (deoxynivalenol); and 47 percent of the 751 samples of Zearalenone came back affirmative. Besides showing up in grains, mycotoxins are also showing up in dried distillers grains (DDGS). Some ethanol companies have even put out warning labels, declaring to only use their product in poultry and ruminants over 400 pounds and stating it is not to be used in swine, horses and other livestock.
In swine, there is a higher sensitivity to contaminated feed and feed avoidance is a common symptom of mycotoxicoses in these animals. For gestating and lactating sows, where feed intake is induced, symptoms such as immune suppression, reduced ability to absorb nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract and a reduced utilization of proteins in the body are more common. Zearalenone, a particular concern in breeding sows, can result in abortions and an increased number of empty days. The cost of lost productivity from this has been calculated to $4 per sow, per empty day.
Because many experts believe these corn quality issues could persist and become more severe through the spring and summer (due to the higher moisture levels and increased temperatures), producers should consider being proactive now. Testing samples and using a blending method are two common approaches. However once feed is contaminated, there are no cost effective options currently available to remove the toxin from the feed and it therefore has to be fed. With this in mind, the use of an appropriate mycotoxin-absorbing product can help minimize the negative effects on the animal.
There are two types of adsorbents: silica-based polymers and carbon-based organic polymers. Silica-type materials are readily available and many have shown to be effective against aflatoxins, but ineffective against other types. An organic glucomannan polymer extracted from the cell wall of the yeast cell, is a natural fiber source and can often be used at practical levels of inclusion for all species of mycotoxins, including DON.
If you suspect the presence of mycotoxins in your feed, send a feed sample to an accredited laboratory to be tested. Check with your veterinarian to monitor your herd and develop a control strategy.
Editor’s Note: This commentary is sponsored by Alltech. Through 29 years of research-driven product development, Alltech has created a range of natural solutions for the feed and food industries. For more information on molds and mycotoxins, visit www.knowmycotoxins.com or call the Mycotoxin Hotline toll-free at 866-322-3484.
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