Effects and biotransformation of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol in growing pigs fed with naturally contaminated pelleted grains with and without the addition of Coriobacteriaceum DSM 11798

ABSTRACT

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most prevalent Fusarium mycotoxins in grain and can cause economic losses in pig farming due to reduced feed consumption and lower weight gains. Biodetoxification of mycotoxins using bacterial strains has been a focus of research for many years. However, only a few in vivo studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of microbial detoxification of fusariotoxins. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the effect of a feed additive containing the bacterial strain Coriobacteriaceum DSM 11798 (the active ingredient in Biomin® BBSH 797) on growth performance and blood parameters, as well as uptake and metabolism of DON, in growing pigs. Forty-eight crossbred (Landrace-Yorkshire/Duroc-Duroc) weaning pigs were fed with pelleted feed made from naturally contaminated oats, with DON at four concentration levels: (1) control diet (DON < 0.2 mg kg⁻¹), (2) low-contaminated diet (DON = 0.92 mg kg⁻¹), (3) medium-contaminated diet (DON = 2.2 mg kg⁻¹) and (4) high-contaminated diet (DON = 5.0 mg kg⁻¹) and equivalent diets containing DSM 11798 as feed additive. During the first 7 days of exposure, pigs in the highest-dose group showed a 20–28% reduction in feed intake and a 24–34% reduction in weight gain compared with pigs in the control and low-dose groups. These differences were levelled out by study completion. Towards the end of the experiment, dose-dependent reductions in serum albumin, globulin and total serum protein were noted in the groups fed with DON-contaminated feed compared with the controls. The addition of DSM 11798 had no effect on the DON-related clinical effects or on the plasma concentrations of DON. The ineffectiveness of the feed additive in the present study could be a consequence of its use in pelleted feed, which might have hindered its rapid release, accessibility or detoxification efficiency in the pig’s gastrointestinal tract.

KEYWORDS:

• BBSH 797
• deoxynivalenol (DON)
• microbial detoxification
• blood parameters
• biotransformation
• feed additive
• pigs

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Kari Ljøkjel (Felleskjøpet Fôrutvikling, Trondheim, Norway) as well as Kerstin Sigfridson (Lantmännen, Sweden) for providing the naturally DON-contaminated oats used in the preparation of the experimental feed, BIOMIN GmbH (Tulln, Austria) for providing DSM 11798-containing feed additive, and Ismet Nikqi and Olav Kraugerud at the Centre for Feed Technology (Fôrtek), NMBU, Ås, Norway, for the production of the experimental feed. We also thank the technical staff at the Department of Production Animal Sciences, NMBU, for their excellent care for the pigs, Dr. Michael Sulyok at the Centre for Analytical Chemistry at IFA Tulln (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, BOKU, Vienna, Austria) for screening the feed for mycotoxin and the staff of the Central Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, NMBU, Oslo, Norway, for performing the haematology and serum biochemical analyses.

Disclosure statement

Dian Schatzmayr is an employee of Biomin Holding GmbH; patent owner and producer of Biomin© BBSH 797. The other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this study.

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Research Council of Norway [grant No. 225332] and co-financed by Animalia, Lantmännen Research Foundation and Felleskjøpet Fôrutvikling.