2 weeks Ago By By The Newsroom
Sign up to our daily Farming Life Today newsletter Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Farming Life within your account. As the 2024 harvest season progresses, farmers and producers are already contending with the complexities of weather patterns, economic pressures and market demand. However, one significant, often unseen, risk remains: mycotoxins.
Advertisement Advertisement These toxic compounds, produced by moulds that grow on crops like cereals and forages, can cause reduced feed intakes, digestive issues and reduced immune function in animals, potentially leading to a host of concerns about animal health, food safety and production efficiency and profitability. Each year, the Alltech European Harvest Analysis provides farmers and feed producers with an accurate view of mycotoxin contamination risk across the continent. Its conclusions are based on the testing by the Alltech 37+® labs, which can detect dozens of mycotoxins.
The data is then analysed and compiled into a free, downloadable report, covering the potential threat across multiple regions, crops and animal species. To help farmers and feed producers stay ahead of the mycotoxin threat, the Alltech team has now released early insights before the full report’s release in December. Advertisement Advertisement These insights reveal that mycotoxin contamination levels in European crops are moderate to high this year, having risen compared to previous years.
This rising risk is being driven largely by unfavourable weather conditions during critical periods of crop development. Specific early findings include: - Type B trichothecenes and emerging mycotoxins are most prevalent, but type B trichothecenes like deoxynivalenol (DON) are bringing the most risk in grains. - Penicillium mycotoxins such as penicillic acid, mycophenolic acid and patulin are widespread in forages and are bringing the greatest risk to these ingredients.
- All ingredients showed multiple mycotoxins, with7.7 mycotoxins per sample on average for wheat, 6.3 for barley, 2.
9 for grass and maize silage and 5.9 for straw. Advertisement Advertisement Especially given the heightened mycotoxin risks reported this year, Alltech recommends proactive mycotoxin management strategies.
These include regular monitoring and testing of grain batches for mills and feed manufacturers. Post-harvest testing is critically important to detect and quantify mycotoxin levels, ensuring that contaminated raw materials do not enter the feed chain. The use of a mycotoxin binder, such as Mycosorb A+ from Alltech, is also recommended to reduce toxin absorption and mitigate the impact of these invisible threats on health, productivity and profitability.
Farmers should contact their local Alltech representative today to discuss mycotoxin risk on your farm and measures to protect your herd..
