OCCURRENCE OF FUSARIUM SPECIES AND ZEARALENONE IN DAIRY-CATTLE FEEDS IN VOJVODINA

The occurrence of Fusarium spp. and zearalenone (F-2 toxin) in dairy c attle feeds was studied during a period of three years (in all seasons ) in Voj-vodina. Fusarium species were found to be very common in feed s. They were classified into 11 different species (F. chlamydosporum, F. equiseti, F. flocciferum, F. graminearum, F. lateritium, F. monilif orme, F. oxysporum, F. semi-tectum, F. solani, F. tabacinum and F. tri cinctum). Some of these species are known to produce mycotoxins. The h ighest distribution of Fusarium spp. was observed in the autumn and sp ring of the second research year, when 53 and 56% of the feed samples, respectively, were contaminated with them. F. oxysporum and F. monili forme were the most prevalent species throughout the three-year study. Zearalenone was found in various feed samples at concentrations betwe en 140.00 and 960.00 mu g/kg in all seasons, except in the summer of t he first year, in the winter of the second year and in the autumn of t he third research year. Pelleted sugar beet pulp and pelleted malt spe nt grains were the feeds most contaminated with this toxin. Thirty-fiv e out of the 275 feed samples contained zearalenone and 11 of them wer e contaminated with zearalenone-producing moulds and zearalenone at th e same time.