How To Stay Up To Date About Mycotoxins in Feed Materials
Knowing the actual mycotoxin status of your feedstuffs is as important as knowing its basic nutritional values like protein and energy.
17.07.2020In Brief
Being informed about mycotoxin occurrence patterns in feed materials can help you to protect your animals from their negative effects. Here are some resources that will ensure you have the latest and most complete information about potential risks to your animals.
You can track the mycotoxin contamination of feed and raw commodities in three ways:
Collect and test your own feed or raw commodity samples
Check the latest BIOMIN® Mycotoxin Survey results
Contact your local BIOMIN® representative
Why do I need to know about mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins negatively impact the health and profitability of farm animals, so it is crucial to stay informed of contamination levels in your raw materials and feed materials.
Grain quality is very important when formulating feed.
Knowing the actual mycotoxins status of your feedstuffs is as important as knowing its basic nutritional values like protein and energy.
Knowledge about the mycotoxin status of grain helps make purchasing decisions and enables implementation of the most cost-effective mycotoxin mitigation strategy to protect both animals and profits.
Testing for mycotoxin contamination
Feed millers and farmers typically use on-site testing, external analytical services or a combination of the two as part of their mycotoxin detection and risk management programs.
No matter whether on-site or external analysis is used, collecting a representative sample is the basis for producing reliable results.
Correct sampling is crucial
An incorrect sample can give misleading results. That is why it is important to follow proper sampling procedures. Both the FAO and EU offer full step-by-step guidelines for sampling to ensure correct testing:
At BIOMIN®, we have created a practical guide to help you succeed with sampling to ensure you get more accurate results. The sampling procedure guide is available on biomin.net or from your local BIOMIN® representative.
To get a fully representative sample, it is important to collect a large number of incremental samples from everywhere in the lot, including samples taken from different heights.
BIOMIN® Mycotoxin Survey
In day-to-day operations, testing each batch of cereals for mycotoxins can be impractical or cost prohibitive. Fortunately, you can stay informed about mycotoxin occurrence levels by consulting the BIOMIN® Mycotoxin Survey, which is the largest, most comprehensive and reputable database of mycotoxin occurrence globally.
Since 2004, BIOMIN® has been working closely with customers all over the globe to analyze feed and raw commodity samples for the presence of mycotoxins.
The BIOMIN® Mycotoxin Survey focuses on feed materials such as:
- Corn (maize)
- Wheat
- Barley
- Rice
- Soybean meal
- Corn gluten meal
- DDGS
- Silage
More than 18000 samples are collected each year from over 80 countries and tested for the following six major mycotoxins:
- Aflatoxin
- Zearalenone
- Deoxynivalenol
- T-2
- Fumonisin
- Ochratoxin
We then compile a risk assessment report for each farm animal species based on official guidance levels and scientific studies.
Most samples test positive for two or more mycotoxins. Co-contamination is dangerous because the toxicity of a single mycotoxin can be greatly increased by the presence of other mycotoxins.
Co-contamination is common
One pattern that we consistently observe, year after year, is that most samples test positive for two or more mycotoxins. This co-contamination is dangerous because the toxicity of a single mycotoxin can be greatly increased by the presence of other mycotoxins. Official recommendations may not take this co-contamination into account.
Test often, stay up-to-date
It is important to track mycotoxin levels regularly, and not just rely on after-harvest results, because mycotoxin formation can occur during storage. The global BIOMIN® Mycotoxin Survey is published quarterly.
You can access the BIOMIN Mycotoxin Survey at www.biomin.net or download the app to your smartphone.
For a more detailed assessment and support with mycotoxin risk management in your operation, contact your local BIOMIN® representative.