Dairy Cows Health Risk: Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of mycotoxigenic fungi affecting both human and animal health. Their production in plants is highly unpredictable and dependent on a variety of factors, as well as the stage of the culture and transportation, storage and processing of the raw materials. One of the risks for dairy producers is animal exposure to mycotoxins. The scientific literature shows nonspecific signs to appear in a herd, most often when mycotoxins are present in feed and worse, in milk. In general, ruminants are considered resistant to the action of most mycotoxins, attitude explained by the detoxifying role of ruminal microsymbionts and especially protozoa. The clinical examination performed on the dairy cows from the studied farm did not reveal the presence of any symptom characteristic to mycoses or to mycotoxicosis. Although considered resistant to the action of mycotoxins, research reveals the constant presence of mycotoxigenic fungi and the mycotoxins they produce in the fodder of dairy cows, many times in various combinations. The incidence of mycotoxins is unpredictable and influenced by numerous factors (climatic, of production, transport, processing and storage of fodder). The health of dairy cows is affected by the consumption of contaminated fodder.