Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Annual Corn Crop Survey

Jan 09, 2025

Every fall, IDALS samples new corn crop around the state for the presence of mycotoxins – fungi that can contaminate grain, creating health issues for livestock.

Because of last year’s growing conditions, IDALS anticipated the study would show low levels of mycotoxins. However, 94 percent of corn samples showed the presence of vomitoxin, also known as deoxynivalenol or DON. Four of 99 samples showed vomitoxins that exceed the FDA guidance level. Based on the prevalence of vomitoxin around the state, IDALS recommends feed mills test their stored corn and work with livestock producers who may be affected.

As the name implies, vomitoxin consumption can cause vomiting and feed refusal in livestock. Swine and poultry producers, especially those feeding a large percentage of their protein as DDGS (which concentrates vomitoxin levels), should watch for these clinical signs. If questions or concerns arise, livestock producers should contact their herd veterinarians and nutritionists.

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Video: Understanding Nitrogen Loss Through Denitrification

Denitrification is one of the three main pathways for nitrogen loss, but what is it really, and how much nitrogen do we stand to lose?

In this episode, Lyle Cowell is joined by Dr. Erin Daly from the University of Guelph to break down denitrification and the conditions that drive nitrogen loss in the soil. They explore how nitrogen can be lost as nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas, what conditions drive losses and when they are most likely to occur.

Erin also shares how CanN2ONet, a national research network, is helping us better understand nitrous oxide emissions across Canada. From field towers that measure emissions to research into regionally tailored best management practices, discover how the network is working to help growers improve nitrogen use efficiency and help reduce nitrogen losses across the country.