[Investigations of basic feed quality: Mycotoxins on maize for silage 1997-2003]

Maize for silage purposes is investigated on Zeralenone (ZEA) and Deoxynivalenol (DON) in Saxony since 1997. About 45 samples from various regions of Saxony are analyzed every year. The occurrence of DON and ZEA was proved for 20 to 90% of all samples. Most of the samples showed both of these toxins. The quantity of the detected toxins was generally very low, even in so called "Fusarium years" only 20% of samples exceeded the lowest border of orientation values for critical dietary concentrations in cattle feed. We observed a higher contamination with DON in samples from the region "Erzgebirge" and clear higher contents of ZEA in the region "Sächsisches Heideland". Correlation between toxin content and other parameters like cultivation, pre-fruit etc. were not observed, probably because of masking these effects by variety and location.