scholarly journals Fungal contamination of pig farm feeds

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-147
Author(s):  
Vesna Krnjaja ◽  
Aleksandar Stanojkovic ◽  
Tanja Petrovic ◽  
Violeta Mandic ◽  
Zorica Bijelic ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to establish the total fungal (mould) count in 79 commercial pig farm feed samples (42 samples for piglets, 29 samples for fattening pigs and 8 samples for sows) collected from the Serbian feed producers during the three-year period (2017-2019), as well as to evaluate the percentage of contamination samples by fungi, especially species from Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium genera. Using standard mycological methods, the total count and identification of fungi were determined. Total fungal count was ranging from 1 ? 102 to 1.41 ? 105 cfu g-1 in the feed samples for piglets. Furthermore, in the feed samples for fattening pigs it ranged from1 ? 102 to 2.54 ? 105 cfu g-1, and from 1 ? 102 to 1.93 ? 105 cfu g-1 in the feed samples for sows. It has established the impermissible limit of total fungal count in 3.45% and 4.76% of a feed for fattening pigs and feed for piglets, respectively. Statistical analysis of the total number of fungi did not establish significant differences between the examined feed groups. Fusarium species were present in the most feed samples for fattening pigs (65.52%), followed by the feed for sows (62.50%) and piglets (47.62%). Aspergillus species were determined in 59.52, 58.62 and 37.50% feed samples for piglets, fattening pigs and sows, respectively. Penicillium species contaminated the lowest percentage of feed samples for fattening pigs (27.59%) and the highest percentage of feed samples for sows (37.50%). In a small number of samples Alternaria, Mucor, and Rhizopus species were identified. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the investigation of fungal contamination is an important indicator of a hygienic condition of feed intended for the nutrition of farm pigs. In addition, the percentage of fungal contamination of the examined samples indicates a potentially high risk to animal health. Due to that, a regular mycological evaluation is necessary to assess nutritional quality as one of the fundamental criteria for feed safety.

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Krnjaja ◽  
Z. Pavlovski ◽  
M. Lukic ◽  
Z. Skrbic ◽  
Lj. Stojanovic ◽  
...  

Total fungal count, the presence of potentially toxigenic fungi and natural occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) were studied in 30 poultry feed samples (14 samples of feed for chickens and 16 samples of feed for laying hens), which were collected from different farms in Serbia at the beginning of year 2014. The total number of fungi was determined by the method of dilution and OTA was detected using the imunoadsorption enzymatic assay (ELISA). In most of the samples of chickens feed (50%) the total number of fungi was 1 - 3 x 102 CFU g-1, and in feed for laying hens the highest number of samples (37.50%) had the total fungal count from 1.4 to 4.8 x 104 CFU g -1. The species of genera Aspergillus and Penicillium were identified as producers of OTA in 21.43% and 42.86% of chickens feed samples and in 68.75% and 25% of samples of feed for laying hens. The presence of OTA was detected in 100% of samples of feed for chickens and laying hens, with average concentrations of 34.40 ?g kg-1 (feed for chickens) and 43.89 ?g kg-1 (feed for laying hens). The total fungal count and content of OTA were not above the maximum allowed quantities, even though the presence of Aspergillus and Penicillium species was found in a large number of samples (up to 68.75%). These results indicate that the tested samples of poultry feed were mycologically and mycotoxicologically correct.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. e0194641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Wenke ◽  
Janina Pospiech ◽  
Tobias Reutter ◽  
Bettina Altmann ◽  
Uwe Truyen ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-69
Author(s):  
Vesna Krnjaja ◽  
Tanja Petrovic ◽  
Slavica Stankovic ◽  
Milos Lukic ◽  
Zdenka Skrbic ◽  
...  

In this study, a total of 30 poultry (chicken and laying hens) feed samples collected from different poultry farms in Serbia in 2016 were tested for fungal and aflatoxin contamination. Using the plate count and standard mycological methods, total fungal counts and potentially toxigenic fungal genera were determined. Natural occurrence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was detected by ELISA (enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay) method. The total fungal count was in the range from 1 x 102 (2 log CFU g-1) to 1.83 x 105 CFU g-1 (5.26 log CFU g-1). The majority of the chicken feeds (78.57%) had the total fungal count in the ranged from 1 x 102 to 4.8 x 104 CFU g-1, whereas in 68.75% of the laying hens feeds it was ranged from 5.3 x 104 to 1.83 x 105 CFU g-1. In 21.43% of the chicken feeds fungal contamination reached the level above the regulation limits. Three potentially toxigenic fungal genera, Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium, have been identified. In the tested poultry feed samples, more samples contaminated with Aspergillus were determined compared to samples contaminated by Fusarium and Penicillium species. The AFB1 was detected in concentrations from 1.34 to 18.29?g kg-1, with an average of 4.47 and 4.56?g kg-1 in the chicken and laying hens feed samples, respectively. In 14.29% of the chicken feeds, the level of AFB1 was above the regulation limits. The obtained results confirmed the importance of continuous mycological and mycotoxicological control of poultry feed, as well as need to improve risk assessments of such contaminants along the food chain.


Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Torres-Cruz ◽  
Briana Whitaker ◽  
Robert Proctor ◽  
Kirk Broders ◽  
Imane Laraba ◽  
...  

Species within Fusarium are of global agricultural, medical, and food/feed safety concern and have been extensively characterized. However, accurate identification of species is challenging and usually requires DNA sequence data. FUSARIUM-ID (http://isolate.fusariumdb.org/) is a publicly available database designed to support the identification of Fusarium species using sequences of multiple phylogenetically informative loci, especially the highly informative ~680 bp 5' portion of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1) gene that has been adopted as the primary barcoding locus in the genus. However, FUSARIUM-ID v.1.0 and 2.0 had several limitations, including inconsistent metadata annotation for the archived sequences and poor representation of some species complexes and marker loci. Here, we present FUSARIUM-ID v.3.0, which provides the following improvements: (i) additional and updated annotation of metadata for isolates associated with each sequence, (ii) expanded taxon representation in the TEF1 sequence database, (iii) availability of the sequence database as a downloadable file to enable local BLAST queries, and (iv) a tutorial file for users to perform local BLAST searches using either freely-available software, such as SequenceServer, BLAST+ executable in the command line, and Galaxy, or the proprietary Geneious software. FUSARIUM-ID will be updated on a regular basis by archiving sequences of TEF1 and other loci from newly identified species and greater in-depth sampling of currently recognized species.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (39) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Pereira do Vale ◽  
João Anes ◽  
Séamus Fanning ◽  
Finola Leonard ◽  
Damien Farrell

Acinetobacter species are important in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which threatens human and animal health worldwide. Here, we present the draft genome sequences of three Acinetobacter species strains (RF14B, RF15A, and RF15B) isolated from pig feces and the floor of a pig hospital pen in Ireland.


Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terciolo ◽  
Bracarense ◽  
Souto ◽  
Cossalter ◽  
Dopavogui ◽  
...  

Fumonisins (FBs) are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium species that can contaminate human food and animal feed. Due to the harmful effects of FBs on animals, the European Union (EU) defined a recommendation of a maximum of 5 mg FBs (B1 + B2)/kg for complete feed for swine and 1 µg FBs/kg body weight per day as the tolerable daily intake for humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of dietary exposure to low doses of FBs, including a dose below the EU regulatory limits. Four groups of 24 weaned castrated male piglets were exposed to feed containing 0, 3.7, 8.1, and 12.2 mg/kg of FBs for 28 days; the impact was measured by biochemical analysis and histopathological observations. Dietary exposure to FBs at a low dose (3.7 mg/kg of feed) significantly increased the plasma sphinganine-to-sphingosine ratio. FBs-contaminated diets led to histological modifications in the intestine, heart, lung, lymphoid organs, kidney, and liver. The histological alterations in the heart and the intestine appeared at the lowest dose of FBs-contaminated diet (3.7 mg/kg feed) and in the kidney at the intermediate dose (8.1 mg/kg feed). At the highest dose tested (12.2 mg/kg feed), all the organs displayed histological alterations. This dose also induced biochemical modifications indicative of kidney and liver alterations. In conclusion, our data indicate that FBs-contaminated diets at doses below the EU regulatory limit cause histological lesions in several organs. This study suggests that EU recommendations for the concentration of FBs in animal feed, especially for swine, are not sufficiently protective and that regulatory doses should be modified for better protection of animal health.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oana Stanciu ◽  
Roxana Banc ◽  
Anamaria Cozma ◽  
Lorena Filip ◽  
Doina Miere ◽  
...  

AbstractThe quality of cereals is very important for both human and animal nutrition. Fusarium mycotoxins include a great number of compounds. Trichothecenes, zearalenone (ZEN) and fumonisins are the major Fusarium mycotoxins occurring in cereal grains, animal feeds and forages. Conditions that predispose to mycotoxin production by Fusarium species include humidity, temperature, aeration and substrate type. Even if a great number of fungal metabolites have been designated as mycotoxins, a small number are known to have significant animal/human health and economic significance. For this, the world-wide impact of mycotoxins on human and animal health is likely underestimated and the future in this area is to identify additional specific biomarkers and group of biomarkers that can be used to establish the exposition of human and animals to individual mycotoxins.


Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Fallahi ◽  
Hossein Saremi ◽  
Mohammad Javan-Nikkhah ◽  
Stefania Somma ◽  
Miriam Haidukowski ◽  
...  

Fusarium species are among the most important fungal pathogens of maize, where they cause severe reduction of yield and accumulation of a wide range of harmful mycotoxins in the kernels. In order to identify the Fusarium species and their mycotoxin profiles associated to maize ear rot and kernel contamination in Iran, a wide sampling was carried out from field in ten major maize-producing provinces in Iran, during 2015 and 2016. From 182 samples of maize kernels, 551 strains were isolated and identified as belonging to Fusarium genus. Among the 234 representative strains identified at species level by translation elongation factor (EF-1α) sequences, the main Fusarium species were F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum, together representing 90% of the Iranian Fusarium population, and, to a lesser extent, F. incarnatum equiseti species complex (FIESC), F. thapsinum and F. redolens. Fumonisin (FBs) production by F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum representative strains was analysed, showing that all strains produced FB1. None of F. verticillioides strains produced FB2 nor FB3, while both FB2 and FB3 were produced only by F. proliferatum. Total mean of FBs production by F. verticillioides was higher than F. proliferatum. The occurrence of different Fusarium species on Iranian maize is reason of great concern because of the toxigenic risk associated to these species. Moreover, the diversity of the species identified increases the toxigenic risk associated to Fusarium contaminated maize kernels, because of the high possibility that a multi-toxin contamination can occur with harmful consequences on human and animal health.


2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-414
Author(s):  
Leílson R. Bezerra ◽  
Wagner D.C. Oliveira ◽  
Tairon P.D. Silva ◽  
Jacira N.C. Torreão ◽  
Carlo A.T. Marques ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: Hematologic analysis provides reliable information on the health status of animals. It is an important variable in the assessment of adaptive and productive capacity of breeds under unfavorable environmental conditions. It is an assessment that combined with other genetic and environmental factors and management can become useful for the future sustainability of mainstream agriculture in a hot environment. Adaptive capacity is affected by some factors such as breed, pregnancy and lactation. Therefore, hematological profile is an important indicator of animal health and production. The objective of this study was to perform the comparative hematological analysis of Santa Inês and Morada Nova breeds (native ewes from Brazil) in all different reproductive stages. Twenty Santa Ines and 20 Morada Nova sheep distributed in a completely randomized design in a split-plot arrangement over time were used. To obtain blood counts, blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture every 14 days, always in the morning, before the animals were released into the pasture. The Morada Nova breed had higher hemoglobin and total leukocyte count than Santa Inês breed. Regarding the influence of pregnancy and puerperium on the eritrogram, there was an increment in red blood cell, hemoglobin and packed cell volume of both breeds in middle pregnancy. However, had a reduction in late pregnancy. There were a reestablishment of the blood cell counts during the puerperium period. It was verified an increase on neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio indicated that ewes in the late pregnancy, postpartum and puerperium were under stress conditions compared to others reproductive stages. The total plasma proteins also increased during this period to compensate for the high nutritional requirements of the fetus, and these levels remained high until the end of the puerperal phase, when the lambs were weaned. The pregnancy and puerperium influenced all erythrocyte indices and changed the total leukocyte count.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Jestoi ◽  
M. Kokkonen ◽  
S. Uhlig

Most Fusarium species are capable of producing mycotoxins that may cause adverse effects on human or animal health. The most commonly studied Fusarium mycotoxins include trichothecenes, zearalenone and fumonisins. However, it seems that nearly all of the most prevalent Fusarium species infecting grains are also capable of producing other toxic metabolites. The existing studies, although exiguous, have clearly demonstrated that other toxic metabolites of Fusarium spp. are also present in our foods and feeds, occasionally at very high levels. It is apparent that since mycotoxins, including these 'other' metabolites, are natural toxins, they cannot be completely eliminated from food and feed chains. However, scientific studies are needed to determine their true significance. Thus, the mechanism and level of toxicity as well as presence and concentration levels will have to be fully clarified. In this paper, we briefly review the prevalence of the dominant Fusarium species contaminating maize and small-grain cereals worldwide, and the current knowledge on the biological activity as well as the natural occurrence of their selected less-known toxic metabolites. Additionally, the significance of these 'other' Fusarium mycotoxins is discussed.


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