Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Quantification of Fungal Colonization, Sporogenesis, and Production of Mycotoxins Using Kernel Bioassays
Published on: April 23, 2012
From grain to forage: A decade of mycotoxin contamination in ruminant feed in the Czech Republic (2013-2023)
Jana Cahova1, Lucie Kvasnickova1, Josef Illek2
1Department of Animal Protection and Welfare & Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
Abstract:
This study is based on analytical data on mycotoxin contamination in ruminant feeds in the Czech Republic over a ten-year period (2013-2023), specifically deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 toxin (T-2/HT-2), and ochratoxin A (OTA). Analyses were performed in accredited State Veterinary Institutes using validated immunochemical and chromatographic methods. Samples included forage and concentrate feeds for dairy cows, calf feed, and fattening cattle feed. During the monitoring period, DON was detected at higher concentrations, reflecting the susceptibility of field crops to Fusarium infection under local environmental conditions. Forage feeds showed significantly higher concentrations of DON (472.6 ± 13.2 µg/kg), ZEN (61.7 ± 4.4 µg/kg), and T-2/HT-2 toxin (36.7 ± 2.7 µg/kg) than concentrates for dairy cows (P < 0.05). Additionally, ZEN levels differed significantly between concentrates for dairy cows (17.1 ± 2.3 µg/kg) and calf feed (16.2 ± 3.3 µg/kg) (P < 0.05). Although mycotoxin concentrations generally remained below recommended limits, a small proportion of samples exceeded guideline values for DON (0.13%) and ZEN (0.56%). These findings highlight the importance of continued monitoring and preventive strategies to manage mycotoxin risks.
Related Concept Videos
Sources of Food Contamination
Microorganisms in Agriculture and Food industry
Microbes in the Production of Fermented Foods
Microbes in Food Production
Toxicity Testing in Animals
Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides
