Effects of dietary aflatoxin on performance and zinc metabolism in dairy calves

Young dairy calves were fed diets containing 40 or 640 ppm zinc with 0 or 5 ppm aflatoxin for 3 wk. The aflatoxin mixture contained 80.5% B1, 19.5% G1, and less than .1% B2 and G2. The aflatoxin-fed calves exhibited characteristic signs of aflatoxicosis which included reduced feed intake, weight gains, nitrogen balance, pulse rate, and respiration rate. Feed intake and weight gains recovered some during the 3rd wk. No gross abnormalities were observed in the liver or other organs at autopsy. Addition of 600 ppm zinc to diets containing aflatoxin did not alleviate the toxic conditions. Effects of aflatoxin or zinc metabolism were investigated during the 3rd week of treatment through oral dosing of zinc-65. Absorption of zinc-65 was slightly lower in aflatoxin-fed calves. However, the aflatoxin effect on absorption of zinc-65 was less than that of high dietary zinc. Retention of zinc-65 in small intestinal tissue was increased in aflatoxin-fed calves, but concentrations in other tissues were not affected. Stable zinc was reduced in liver and increased in kidney and three sections of the small intestine. Further research is needed to define more clearly the relationship of zinc to aflatoxin in dairy calves.