Effect of zearalenone in sugar beet products on zootechnical and reproductive performance and lesions of sows and piglets.

ABSTRACT: Following the use of sugar beet pulp that was retrospectively found to be predominantly contaminated with zearalenone (ZEN) in diets of reproducing sows largely exceeding the EU-guidance value for critical ZEN concentration of 0.25 mg/kg, farmers did not report any changes in the reproductive performance of sows. Thus, the aim of the study was to verify this guidance value in a dose-response setup by using sugar beet pulp as a ZEN source hitherto not considered a risky feedstuff additionally characterized by comparatively low levels of deoxynivalenol. A total of 90 sows was equally allocated to one of the three feed groups during experimental lactation 1 and up to 40 days after insemination: CON with a minimal ZEN concentration, ZEN1 with a target concentration of 250 µg ZEN/kg feed, and Z

SUBMITTER: Grumpel-Schluter A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11757929 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature