ZEARALENONE MYCOTOXICOSIS IN PIGLETS SUCKLING SOWS FED CONTAMINATED GRAIN

An outbreak of zearalenone mycotoxicosis occurred between early March and mid-April involving 62 suckling piglets of both sexes. The clinica l picture was characterized by edematous swelling acid reddening of th e vulva, sometimes associated with reddening and/or necrosis of the ta il. Six female piglets had congenital lesions of the external genitali a while in the remainder clinical signs appeared 2 to 3 d after birth. No sows ingesting the contaminated feed had signs of hyperestrogenism . The distribution of affected litters showed a correlation with poor hygienical conditions. Zearalenone residues were detected only in feed samples from mangers where the hyperestrogenic syndrome occurred.