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Farmers should test corn for high mold levelsMissouri Not testing this year's corn crop could be risky for hog farmers. This fall's wet weather has spurred mold growth, which can lead to toxin buildup in feed, said University of Missouri Extension specialists. "Our concern is directed at most people who haven't harvested their corn yet because they are busy getting beans out of the field," said Marcia Shannon, MU Extension swine nutrition specialist. "We want to give farmers a heads-up that they need to get their grain tested." Vomitoxin, or deoxynivalenol, builds up from mold growth on corn ears. With a delayed harvest in much of the Midwest, the level of toxins becomes more of a concern. "If the mold levels get above 5 parts per million, pigs will start vomiting," Shannon said. "Once it gets above 10 parts per million they completely refuse to eat feed. Right now I'm hearing reports of anywhere between 4 and 40 parts per million of vomitoxin in the corn being harvested." Beef cattle and chickens also are affected but can withstand toxin levels of 10 parts per million before showing symptoms. Infected corn develops a whitish-pink to reddish-pink mold that typically starts at the tip of the ears and progresses down. Kernels shrivel and lose a significant portion of their weight. The toxin can cause major complications for hogs. "Mold for the breeding herd is always a real issue," said Tim Safranski, MU Extension swine breeding specialist. "It will cause irregular cycles, abortions, anestrus or persistent estrus, depending on how much they get." While these breeding disruptions are serious, Safranski noted that simple precautions and testing can protect a herd. "Farms that feed their own corn absolutely need to test this year to avoid these problems," Safranski said. "Farmers who buy corn need to talk to their feed suppliers about mycotoxin binders and enzymes to add to their feed, because a lot of times they buy a one- to two-week supply and by the time they get a test result back they've been feeding it for a week, and that's no good." Moldy corn issues now are apparent in Indiana and other states that finished harvest earlier, but Shannon said that as harvest progresses here and more of this year's crop is fed, the extent of the problem in Missouri will come to light. If corn is not harvested, you can collect a sample by picking a few ears from a representative area of your field and shelling them. If corn is in the bin, take multiple core samples to blend before submitting for analysis. Farmers can send samples to the MU Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, P.O. Box 6023, Columbia, MO 65205. The fee is $33.75 per sample. For more information, call the lab at 573-882-6811 or see http://vmdl.missouri.edu/.
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