Physical and nutritional degradation of poultry feed by microbes is an ever-present threat, especially in the tropics. But some fungal moulds add an extra, more dangerous dimension to poultry health and nutrition in the form of acutely toxic chemicalscalled mycotoxins. These 'signature' chemicals produced by specific fungal moulds growing on feed and feed materials affect all livestock, with some being particularly poisonous to poultry. They can be toxic in trace amounts (less than Ippm) and may pass into the human food chain via residues in poultrymeat and eggs. All types of poultry are vulnerable, as are consumers of contaminated poultry products.
展开▼
