OBSERVATIONS ON FUSARIUM TOXINS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON FERTILITY AND LITTER PERFORMANCE OF SOWS

Studies were conducted into mycotoxins as part of an effort to elucida te disorders in reproductive biology on a sow breeding unit. Zearaleno ne and trichothecene were detected in green alfalfa pellets which were part of the common diet. Freshly harvested alfalfa exhibited consider able infestation by fusarium which was checked for its capability of t oxin formation. Two F. graminearum isolates were found to produce unde r laboratory conditions 120 or 160 mg/kg of zearalenone and small amou nts of deoxynivalenole. Feeding experiments, using toxin-infested and fusarium-infested pellets, showed in the experimental group on alfalfa pellets piglet birth weights to be reduced by 100 g as compared to a control group. The number of rearable piglets relative to 100 first in seminations was reduced by 100 individuals.