A warning that climatic conditions across Europe and North America might affect the mycotoxin challenge for next year has been issued by the global feed additive company, Nutriad.
Weather is the most important factor in determining whether aflatoxin contamination will be a problem, said the company, with hot and dry weather being associated with increased aflatoxin production.
“A hot, dry year such as the current one in which the plants are stressed may generate much higher levels of aflatoxin than under more moderate conditions,” said Nutriad. “Climatological conditions across Europe and North America might affect the mycotoxin challenge for next year.”
Adding that mycotoxins and predominantly aflatoxins are a constant concern for agriculture, the company’s Business Development Manager, Radka Borutova (pictured above), said that recent episodes of severe contamination of maize highlighted the importance of weather influences and the need to adjust cropping cycles and management practices to avoid losses associated with aflatoxins.
“Although extensive efforts and preventive actions are taken during growing, harvesting and storage periods, the chances of mycotoxin contamination are high,” she said. “Therefore successful detoxification procedures after harvest are important with the addition of specific feed additives to animal feeds being a very common method to prevent mycotoxicosis.”