Ubiquity of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in animal feeds in Republic of Serbia

Abstract

Climatic conditions and growing of grain on large areas in Republic of Serbia are suitable for development of numerous toxigenic species, such as Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp., and resulting from this is frequent incidence of animal feed contamination by their toxic products. In Republic of Serbia, the most frequent fungi determined in animal feed are those from Fusarium genus, as well as their mycotoxins. Of Fusarium species the most frequent one is F. graminearum, and of toxins zearalenon, in maize or wheat grains, which are the main raw material in production of animal feeds. Development of this fungi and bio-synthesis of zearalenon most often depend on period of rains in the third decade of May when wheat is in the blossoming phenostage or on ample precipitation and low temperatures at the end of summer or beginning of autumn during sensitive pheno-stage of maize growing. Aflatoxins are rarely isolated in Republic of Serbia, but there are conditions for their increased presence in imported feed components. Natural occurrence of ochratoxin A is more frequent than incidence of aflatoxins in climatic conditions of Republic of Serbia. Presence of mycotoxins produced by species of genera Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium indicates potential risk of incidence of mycotoxicosis, especially in younger animal categories. For the purpose of protection of health of animals, realization of profit and high productivity in livestock production, it is necessary to explain factors which can cause animal intoxication, and to identify toxins and develop methodology for assessment of the potential toxicity of animal feed.

Klimatski uslovi i gajenje žita na velikim površinama u Republici Srbiji pogoduju razvoju brojnih toksigenih vrsta, kao što su Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp. i Penicillium spp., i kao rezultat toga je i česta kontaminacija hrane za životinje njihovim toksičnim produktima. U Republici Srbiji su u hrani za životinje najčešće utvrđene gljive iz roda Fusarium, kao i njihovi mikotoksini. Od Fusarium vrsta najčešća je F. graminearum, a od toksina zearalenon, bilo u zrnu kukuruza ili pšenice koje su najčešće sirovine za stočnu hranu. Razvoj ove gljive i biosinteza zearalenona najčešće zavise od kišnog perioda u trećoj dekadi maja kada je pšenica u fenofazi cvetanja ili od obilnih padavina i niskih temperatura pri kraju leta i početkom jeseni kada je osetljiva fenofaza kukuruza. Aflatoksini su retko izolovani u Republici Srbiji, ali postoje uslovi za veće prisustvo prilikom uvoza komponenti hrane za životinje. Prirodna pojava ohratoksina A je češća od pojave aflatoksina u klimatskim uslovima Srbije. Prisustvo mikotoksina koje produkuju vrste roda Fusarium, Aspergillus i Penicillium ukazuje na potencijalni rizik od pojave mikotoksikoza, posebno za mlađe kategorije životinja. U cilju zaštite zdravlja životinja, ostvarivanja dobiti i visoke produktivnosti u stočarskoj proizvodnji, postoji potreba da se objasne faktori koji mogu prouzrokovati intoksikaciju životinja, kao i da se toksini identifikuju i razvije metodologija za ocenu potencijalne toksičnosti hrane za životinje.