Mycotoxins, often hidden in beef cattle diets, can lead to various health issues, including impaired immune response, reduced growth rates, reproductive issues, lameness, and gangrene. Since illnesses caused by mycotoxins are difficult to detect and resistant to antibiotics, understanding their risks and prevention strategies is crucial.
What Are Mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi and mould that can be present in cattle feed, including forages and grains. They are invisible, colorless, and odorless, making detection difficult without proper testing. Mycotoxins like Fusarium and ergot are common in Canadian beef cattle feed, particularly when environmental or storage conditions favor fungal growth. The presence of multiple mycotoxins in a single feed can increase their negative effects on cattle.
When Are Mycotoxins a Risk?
Mycotoxins pose the greatest risk in the following situations:
– Suspected contaminated feed or visible mould.
– Significant declines in herd health or performance without an obvious cause.
– Large portions of the herd affected by illness or poor growth.
Signs of Mycotoxin Toxicity in Beef Cattle
Symptoms vary based on the toxin, amount ingested, and exposure duration, but can include:
– Reduced feed intake (more than 30% decrease).
– Decline in growth, performance, or overall health.
– Immune suppression, frequent illness, or lack of response to antibiotics.
– Convulsions, lameness, gangrene (especially in ears, tail, or feet), signs of heat stress, fever, bloody diarrhea, and reproductive issues.
How to Protect Your Cattle
Preventing mycotoxin-related issues involves four key steps:
1. Awareness: Understand risk factors, which can vary seasonally, and monitor for signs of mycotoxin production.
2. Feed Testing: Test all suspected feeds for mycotoxins, as they may be present even without visible mould.
3. Feed Quality Practices: Follow best practices in harvesting, storage, and feed management to reduce contamination risks.
4. Animal Health: Keep cattle healthy through proper vaccination, nutrition, parasite control, and stress management, as healthy animals are more resilient against mycotoxins.
While mycotoxins cannot be entirely eliminated, these preventative measures can reduce contamination risks and help manage affected feed sources more effectively.
