By Andrea Luttman and Casey Zangaro
Mycotoxins are substances produced by certain types of fungi, or mold, that are harmful to animals when ingested. There are several types of mycotoxins, but those commonly identified in animal agriculture include: aflatoxin, fumonisin, ochratoxin, T2 toxin, deoxynivalenol (DON, or vomitoxin), and zearalenone.
Mycotoxins do not threaten animal health equally across species. This is in part because different fungi occur at different rates across feedstuff, including corn, forages, cereal grains such as wheat and oats, and oilseeds such as soybeans and canola. Fungal growth and mycotoxin accumulation can occur during crop growth, storage or processing, thereby contaminating our animal feed.
The diet we feed our animals largely determines which mycotoxins are ingested and pose the greatest risk. Corn and soybean meal are two major ingredients in pig diets that may contain mycotoxins. Among these two feed ingredients, the most common mycotoxins threatening pig health are fumonisin, vomitoxin and zearalenone. Table 1 below breaks down the risk level of each mycotoxin based on 2025 reports.
Risk level based on the percentage of feeds tested and determined to be at a level estimated to cause performance loss in 2025; Slight = at or below 10%, Low = 11-25%, Moderate = 26-50%, High = 51-75%, Severe = above 75%
Important note for pigs raised outdoors or in mixed-species environments
In Michigan-grown corn, aflatoxin has not been a large concern. However, if the pigs you raise have access to other feeds (e.g., hay, haylage or silage for cattle) or various fruits, vegetables, or nuts, they may be at risk of ingesting additional types of mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin.
Source : msu.edu