Factors influencing the mold spore plate count of poultry feed

The mold spore plate count often has been used to estimate the potential ri sk that feed may pose to poultry health. This measurement, however, was fou nd to be highly variable between batches of feed manufactured at differenti al geographical locations and multiple samples of the same batch of the sam e batch of feed. A marked reduction or elimination of viable spores produce d by numerous mold genera was found to be associated with the pelleting pro cess. However, re-contamination of manufactured feed, within 2 days followi ng the pelleting process, with spores from the environment results in a mar ked increase in mold spore counts in feed and further contributes to the hi gh variability associated with this measurement. Given the influence of fac tors such as source of feed ingredients, pelleting, and re-contamination of feed, the mold spore plate count is inappropriate as a means of assessing the mycological status of feed and the risks that the feed may pose to poul try health.