Potential risks that mycotoxins
This analysis provides a clear understanding of the potential risks that mycotoxins, specifically Zearalenone (ZEN), Deoxynivalenol (DON), and Fumonisins (FUM), pose to dairy cows in the Middle East & North Africa (MEA) region. Here's a summary of the key points:
Carryover into Milk: A significant concern is the carryover of certain mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin M1, DON, and ZEN, into cattle milk when dairy cows consume contaminated feed. This raises direct toxicity concerns for consumers of the milk.
Health Effects: Mycotoxins can impact digestive health, immunity, and liver/kidney function in dairy cows. This can lead to issues like diarrhea, mastitis, reduced feed intake, and decreased milk yield.
High Prevalence in MEA: The MEA region exhibits a very high prevalence of key mycotoxins, with 88% for DON, 79% for ZEN, and 84% for fumonisins. This suggests that dairy cattle in the region are likely exposed to chronic, moderate to high risks.
Fusarium Toxin Impacts: The high levels of fusarium mycotoxins (DON, ZEN, and fumonisins) indicate challenges with moldy, wet feeds common in the MEA climate. Even at low doses, these toxins can depress feed intake and immunity, potentially requiring higher feed costs to address.
Combined Effects: The likelihood of multi-mycotoxin contamination in the region suggests that the effects of diverse mycotoxins can be synergistic, affecting both the immune system and liver function. Managing risks becomes more challenging compared to dealing with single toxins.
Climate and Storage Practices: The warm, humid climate and storage practices in MEA likely contribute to mycotoxin growth. This highlights the importance of proactive measures to control the risks associated with mycotoxin contamination.
Investing in Risk Management: To mitigate the chronic issues faced by MEA dairy farmers, investing in regular testing of feed and implementing effective feed management practices is crucial. This can help control the risks associated with mycotoxin exposure.
Collaborative efforts among veterinarians,agriculture engeniers, researchers, and dairy farmers can play a key role in developing and implementing targeted strategies to safeguard the health and productivity of dairy cows in this specific geographic context.
