For the past 4-5 months, livestock and poultry producers have been feeding corn grown in 2019. While there are areas of the corn growing region where mold and mycotoxins are higher than prior years,1 corn samples submitted to Kemin Customer Laboratory Services (CLS) are arriving with lower levels of mold but similar levels of mycotoxins when compared with 2018 corn.
The U.S. Grains Council published the ninth annual corn quality survey1 and they noted the following for the 2019 corn crop in the USA:
Based on these data from the U.S. Grains Council, we are likely to see much more mold and mycotoxin later in the year than we are seeing now. To better help producers understand the current year’s situation, the CLS at Kemin analyzes corn samples for customers. Through these analysis’, valuable information is gained which can help livestock and poultry producers make better management decisions to ensure they are providing high quality and clean feed for their animals.
In 2019-2020, Kemin CLS has analyzed 144 samples of corn for mold and mycotoxins.
Figure 1. Colony forming units per gram (CFU/g) of mold found on corn samples submitted to Kemin CLS since harvest.
Table 1. Percent of corn samples with mycotoxins and levels of those submitted to Kemin CLS since harvest.
Crop Harvest Year |
2019-2020* |
2018-2019* |
2017-2018* |
Samples |
142 |
128 |
124 |
Aflatoxin |
6% (34 ppb) |
6% (27 ppb) |
2% (28 ppb) |
Zearalenone |
27% (129 ppb) |
20% (179 ppb) |
25% (166 ppb) |
T-2 Toxin |
32% (51 ppb) |
31% (48 ppb) |
55% (49 ppb) |
DON |
23% (1.13 ppm) |
27% (1.44 ppm) |
43% (1.31 ppm) |
Fumonisin |
39% (1.86 ppm) |
73% (2.65 ppm) |
35% (3.47 ppm) |
Multiple Toxins |
33% |
38% |
52% |
Aflatoxin – 9 samples with detectable levels (6%) and an average level of 34 ppb. The samples with detectable levels of aflatoxin all came from the southern USA where drought conditions were common.
Zearalenone – 38 with detectable levels (27%)
T-2 Toxin – 45 with detectable levels (32%)
DON (Vomitoxin) – 33 with detectable levels (23%)
Fumonisin – 56 with detectable levels (39%)
33% of all samples had more than one toxin.
First, contact your Kemin Animal Nutrition & Health – North America representative for more information on implementing a comprehensive mold and mycotoxin control program. Your Kemin representative has information and expertise which will increase the effectiveness of your program. Or simply email KeminAg@kemin.com.
Second, complete the following:
References
1U.S. Grains Council. “2019/2020 Corn Harvest Quality Report. https://grains.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/USGC-Corn-Harvest-Quality-Report-2019-2020.pdf. Accesses March 20, 2020.
2Data from Kemin CLS corn samples submitted as part of an annual monitoring program.
3Bartov, I., N. Paster, and N. Lisher. 1982. Poultry Science. 61:2247-2254.
4Kao, C., and R. J. Robinson. 1972. J. Food Sci. 37:261.
5www.extension.psu.edu. Accessed on Dec. 28, 2017.
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