Effects on laying hens of feeding corn invaded by two species of Fusarium and pure T-2 mycotoxin.
Balanced rations containing 2.5 and 5.0% of corn invaded by Fusarium tricinctum, (with 8 and 16 p.p.m. of T-2 toxin) were fed to White Leghorm laying hens. The ration containing 5% of the fungus-invaded corn resulted in reduced feed intake and reduction in weight gain and in egg production. Rations containing 2.5 and 5.0% of corn invaded by F. roseum 'Gibbosum' (with 25 and 50 p.p.m., respectively, of monoacetoxyscirpenol) resulted in an abrupt decrease in feed intake to 10-20% of normal, subsequent loss in weight, and cessation of egg production. Purified T-2 toxin consumed at the rate of 16 p.p.m. in the ration resulted in loss of body weight and decreased egg production; lesser amounts of T-2 toxin resulted in lessened but still detectable injurious effects. Mouth lesions developed in the birds fed these rations, their severity being proportional to the amount of toxin present.
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004531:Eggs; D005260:Female; D005670:Fusarium; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D010058:Oviposition; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000633:toxicity*; D013605:T-2 Toxin / Q000633:toxicity*; D003313:Zea mays
D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D013605:T-2 Toxin