EFFECT OF VARIOUS LEVELS OF T-2 TOXIN ON THE CLINICAL STATUS, PERFORMANCE AND METABOLISM OF GROWING PIGS

In two sets of experiments eight groups of seven-week-old pigs weighin g about 9 kg were fed for three weeks a prestarter that contained 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 10.0 or 15.0 mg/kg of highly purified T-2 to xin, The feed of the two control groups was free from T-2 toxin. Avera ge daily intakes of toxin by the pigs were 0.38, 0.81, 1.24, 1.43, 0.9 3, 0.81, 0.99 and 2.5 mg, respectively. The weight gains, the feed int akes, the extent of feed refusal, the parameters of energy and protein metabolism and the serum concentrations of calcium, inorganic phospho rus and magnesium mere affected to different extents by the different doses of T-2 toxin, but the data indicated that feed consumption was r educed and the activity of aspartate aminotransferase was increased by the smallest amount of T-2 toxin tested.