Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a trichothecene mycotoxin produced by fusarium moulds contaminating cereal and other grains, including corn and wheat. Gross symptoms of DON ingestion include vomiting and feed refusal and it can have serious if not dramatic effects on the financial viability of a commercial pig farm. An experiment was conducted with nursery pigs to test the efficacy of 9 different feed additives on mitigating the effects of Deoxynivalenol (2 ppm DON) contaminated feed. Sixty pens of pigs, 4 pig/pen were fed one of 12 diets for the 22 day experiment, beginning 7 days post-weaning. Treatments were a positive control, (non-contaminated corn) a negative control (2 ppm DON) and the negative control supplemented with one of 9 different feed additives, or in one case a combination of feed additives. In conclusion, approximately 2 ppm DON in the diet of nursery pigs will decrease growth and feed intake by almost 10% if consumed for 3 weeks and feed additives, had no effect on ameliorating the effect of the mycotoxoin, regardless of their mode of action.
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