Mycotex

Mycotex is a fermentation aid for use in animal nutrition where the integrity of feed ingredients has been damaged by the growth of spoilage molds in sources of forage and grains. Mycotex helps to manage problems associated with fungal metabolites that can impact animal health and production.

Mold Growth on Feedstuffs

Microbial deterioration of grain, feedstuffs and animal feed is of great concern to all segments of the production animal industry. Molds are a group of microorganisms that cause deterioration of grains or feeds, various infections in livestock and intoxication due to the formation of mycotoxins in feedstuffs. It is reported that as much as 25% of the world's cereal grains may be contaminated with mycotoxins.

Molds are widely spread in crops, grains and forages. Molds evolve through several stages during their life span. The vegetative stage is where a mold is actively growing and reproducing It is this stage that is the most dangerous to feed and animals. Mycotoxin-producing fungi invade the feed supply during field conditions, harvesting, processing, transport and storage. Insect and mechanical damage can also contribute to fungal colonization. Of those molds Aspergillus produces aflatoxins B1 & B2 in warm, dry crop growing conditions while species of Fusarium produces deoxynivalenol (DON), trichothecene T2 and zearalenone in cool, wet growing conditions. These are are most commonly found in animal feeds and are troublesome to most groups of production animals.

Molds and Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins is a collective term used to describe a diverse group of highly toxic chemicals produced as fungal secondary metabolites that have adverse effects on animals which ingest them. The effect of mycotoxins on animal health, performance and fertility can be severe and have significant economic consequences to the producer. It is known that molds can produce more than 300 mycotoxins.

There are a number of pre-harvest strategies to reduce or eliminate mycotoxin production in the field. These are mostly targeted to prevent fungal colonization of host crop plants or to inhibit excessive development of the infecting pathogen and its ability to synthesise mycotoxins in or on the plant tissues.

There is much debate as to the qualitative and quantitative aspects of mycotoxin contamination of world food and feed supplies and the consensus of what are "acceptable" levels of mycotoxins in feedstuffs. It has been suggested that all levels of mycotoxins should be considered to be dangerous. Even very small amounts can have a negative impact on the immune system leading to impaired health. In addition to specific mycotoxicoses, a mycotoxin load can aggravate or exaggerate some of the more common, apparently unrelated, health and animal production problems.

Mycotoxins can impair animal health and cause serious economic consequences for producers through:

• disease
• reduced feed conversion
• impaired reproductive performance

Mycotoxins act within animals to:

• Change nutrient quality, absorption and metabolism.
• Alter endocrine and neuroendocrine function.
• Depress immune response.

Severe mycotoxin contamination cases are readily determined, but low levels of mycotoxins often go undetected, even though they often limit production and profitability in many herds.

Diagnosis tips

• Many symptoms are vague, e.g. low efficiency.
• Rough hair coats
• Poor BCS in the absence of milk
• Non-transmittance through herd.
• Not affected by antibodies.
• Little or no response to DFM’s
• Symptoms build gradually.
• Depressed feed intake and milk production with ppor components
• Diarrhea/bloody diarrhea without fever.
• Foot lesions that won’t heal
• Increased incidence of abortion.
• Decreased reproductive efficiency
• Heifers breeding at less than 60-70%
• Heifers with variable cycles, swollen udders/vulva
• Manure variability with presence of mucus tags

Mycotex has been designed as a fermentation aid to establish, augment and modulate certain populations of microorganisms that inhabit the rumen and intestinal tract which are capable of degrading pre-formed mycotoxins. Mycotex contains a highly complex mixture of microbial fermentation products and extracts together with enzymes, vitamins and microbial growth factors that prevail within the rumen and intestinal environments.

The development of Mycotex and the formulation of the components that comprise it were targeted in four major areas.

Mode of Action of Mycotex

Microbial: Modulation of the rumen and beneficial intestinal microflora helps to maximize the degradation and metabolism of fungal metabolites and enhance the metabolic processes responsible for nutrient uptake and conversion.

Enzymatic: Enzymes degrade fungal metabolites or modify their molecular structure to produce harmless compounds.

Adsorption: Highly selective active minerals and bio-active sugars physically bind with a wide range of mycotoxins resulting in them being targeted for degradation of being voided from the animal.

Co-Formulants: Microbial growth factors to stimulate beneficial microbial populations including indigenous forms and those added. A critical vitamin complex is also included to aid in the stabilization and recovery of tissue damage.

Features of Mycotex

• Enhances the Animal’s Ability to Deal with Fungal Toxins
• Promotes Beneficial Microflora Activity
• Optimizes Gut Metabolism
• Stimulates Immune Systems
• Improves Animal Health Status
• Improves Productivity
• Alleviates Feed Refusal Problems
• Improves Feed Efficiency
• Aids Restoration of Animal Fertility

Using Mycotex as a Tool

For Production Concerns:

For Reproductive Concerns:

If desired results are not achieved at end of treatment period, remove Mycotex from ration.

Mycotex is available in 25lbs and 50lbs bags.

A separate specific formulation is available in 40lbs bags for incorporation into liquid feeds.

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