EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SOURCES OF DEOXYNIVALENOL (VOMITOXIN) FED TO SWINE

Abstract

Fifty-four barrows (27.5 ± 0.5 kg) were given ad libitum for 7 wk one of 18 diets prepared from field corn inoculated with different strains of Fusarium graminearum, naturally contaminated corn and wheat, pure deoxynivalenol (DON), and clean corn. The effect of 4.7 mg pure DON kg⁻¹ feed was not significantly different from that of the control, whereas pigs on several diets at a similar DON level had significantly lower feed intake and weight gain values. There was no correlation between DON concentration in the diets, amount ingested and pig performance. Key words: Vomitoxin, deoxynivalenol, pigs, inoculated corn, Fusarium, mycotoxins