Deoxinivalenol, also known as DON, is the most prevalent mycotoxin in the European continent, about 88% of the cereals are contaminated.

DON is one of the most important mycotoxins in pigs. It is characterized by a marked rejection of feed, reduction of feed consumption, stunting and vomiting, which affect the productive parameters of pigs.

There is a strong influence of environmental conditions on the prevalence of different mycotoxins. The combination of heavy rains, which generate a higher percentage of moisture in cereals and feed, together with high temperatures generate the ideal conditions for the development of fungi of the genus Fusarium, responsible for the production of DON.

In the latter part of the summer (2020) a large amount of precipitation was expected throughout the European continent, which promoted the prevalence of DON during the last part of 2020.

Effect of DON on pigs

Deoxinivalenol (DON), also known as vomitoxin, is a mycotoxin produced by different species of the genus Fusarium, mainly F. d graminarum and F. culmorum. This mycotoxin belongs to the group of type B trichothecenes, which contain in their structure a sesquiterpene group with tissue necrotizing effect.

Pigs have a high sensitivity to the effects of DON, since this mycotoxin is rapidly absorbed into the intestine of these animals, especially in the small intestine, and because they have a small number of microorganisms capable of performing the biotransformation from the toxic form (DON) to the non-toxic form (DOM-1) of this mycotoxin.

DON damages the enterocytes of the intestinal epithelium. This mycotoxin affects the tight junctions between intestinal cells, breaking the continuity of the intestinal epithelium and nutrient absorption. In addition, DON reduces the protein synthesis in the enterocytes, by binding to the ribosome subunit 60S that prevents the activity of the peptidyl transferase. Decreased protein synthesis is associated with a lower immune response.

The most common symptoms associated with DON mycotoxicosis are feed ejection with a marked decrease in feed intake, vomiting and reduction of productive parameters.

Influence of environmental conditions on the prevalence of DON and prevalence during the second half of 2020

The prevalence of fungi and, therefore, mycotoxins in crops, raw materials and feed intended for animal feed depends on environmental conditions. Intense rainfall followed by high temperatures generates the ideal conditions for the development of fungi of the genus Fusarium.

Within the genus Fusarium, F. graminearum and F. culmorum, are the species of greatest importance in animal feed. In Central and Southern Europe, F. graminearum is the species with highest prevalence, while, in North and Eastern Europe F. culmorum is the most prevalent species. In recent years, due to the increase in environmental temperature, the prevalence of F. graminearum has increased in both Eastern and Northern Europe.

A clear example of the effect of environmental conditions on the prevalence of different mycotoxins is a recent study conducted in the Balkans during 2012-2015. In this trial, it was observed as in 2014, when the intensity and amount of rainfall recorded were higher than in previous years (2012-2013), the prevalence of DON increased in parallel due to a higher number of mycotoxin-producing fungi, reaching 100% of the samples analyzed.

The latest climatic studies warned that the prevalence of mycotoxins, especially DON, woul be significantly high in the last months of 2020 because there was great rainfall in North and Eastern Europe in the last part of the summer.

In addition, these rains delayed the collection of maize and wheat, favoring the development of fungi in crops.

The current prevalence of DON in Europe during the first half of 2020 was about 75-80%, which implied a high risk of problems associated with mycotoxin. DON causes large global economic losses associated with lower feed intake, worse growth, as well as reproductive problems. DON contamination causes a 21% reduction in daily weight gain causing economic losses of around 10€/animal, to which we must add the need to use a greater amount of feed since the conversion rate is also affected.

How to prevent the effects of DON? – Alquerfeed Antitox

To prevent the effect of DON on the digestive tract it is necessary to add a mycotoxin binder in the feed. The binder will prevent the mycotoxin to contact with the intestinal mucosa, preventing necrotic damage to the digestive tract and being eliminated with feces.

Silicoglycidol is the first patented molecule as a mycotoxin binder in the world in 1988, as the result of the research developed by Biovet S.A. Has shown high efficacy against DON. This molecule generates highly stable hydrogen bridges with mycotoxins that ensure their binding throughout the digestive tract and their elimination in feces, ensuring the protection of the animal.

Silicoglycidol is composed of a silica polymer to which an ionic and heat treatment is applied to optimize its structure as a mycotoxin binder. This patented process allows to optimize the adsorption surface and reduce the effective dose. The unique structure of the Silicoglycidol allows to bind up to 84.5% of the DON present in the feed.

It is especially important to use a highly effective binder with a wide spectrum of action, such as Silicoglycidol when a marked increase in the prevalence of mycotoxins in feed is expected.

Alquerfeed Antitox is the mycotoxin binder, based in the silicoglycidol and marketed by Biovet S.A. The use of Alquerfeed Antitox in the feed is the solution to prevent the effect of DON on pig farms, even though the prevalence of this mycotoxin increases. Multiple studies have shown that Alquerfeed Antitox is effective against all mycotoxin groups (Table 1).

In a test conducted in the United States (Table 2), using maize contaminated with DON (4 ppm) and zearalenone  (1 ppm), it was demonstrated that thanks to Alquerfeed Antitox the effect of these mycotoxins on animals is prevented. The use of Alquerfeed Antitox allows to maximize feed use by improving the conversion rate by 13.28% and increase the amount of meat produced as it allows to increase the daily weight gain by 22.46%.

This demonstrates that the prevention of mycotoxin damage by using Alquerfeed Antitox has an economical benefit, as we will need to use a smaller amount of feed and obtain animals with a higher final weight.

Conclusion

The deoxynivalenol (DON), is one of the most important mycotoxins in pigs, due to the high sensitivity of this species and the high prevalence of this mycotoxin in the European continent, where it causes a marked reduction in feed consumption,vomiting and reduced growth, negatively affecting the productive parameters.

The presence of DON in raw materials and feed intended for swine feeding is largely determined by environmental conditions. By the end of summer (2020) rainfall was very abundant throughout Europe, which augurs a high prevalence of DON in feed during the last part of 2020 and first months of 2021.

It is especially important to use a binder with a wide spectrum of action and high efficacy when high levels of mycotoxins are expected. Alquerfeed Antitox, the mycotoxin binder designed by Biovet S.A. based on the patented molecule Silicoglycidol meets these characteristics, as it allows to capture up to 84.5% of the DON present in the feed.

The addition of Alquerfeed Antitox at a dose of 0,5 kg/t allows to improve the productive parameters and avoid the economic impact caused by the DON.

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