PSVI-8 - Effects of a mycotoxin deactivator on performance of gestating and lactating gilts fed diets containing added mycotoxins

The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of a mycotoxin deactivator in diets containing added mycotoxins for gestating and lactating gilts on their performance. A total of 60 gilts (LD x LW) were used. After insemination the gilts were distributed among 3 dietary treatments according to a randomized block design: a negative control (CON); mycotoxin positive control (Myc); and a positive control added a mycotoxin deactivator (Myc+Deact 2 kg/ton; Unike®Plus, Adisseo). The total mycotoxins levels added to the diets 2 and 3 from d 75 of gestation until farrowing were: DON at 2.5 mg/kg, FBs at 10 mg/kg, and ZEA at 0.75mg/kg. Sows received the experimental diets from d 75 of gestation until weaning (i.e. 21 d). At farrowing, total number of piglets born, born alive, stillborn, and mummies were measured. Piglets were individually weighed 24-h post-farrowing, and at weaning to determine litter performance during lactation. The effects of diet composition, blocks and initial weight were tested according to a general linear procedure analysis of variance (GLM procedure of SAS). During gestation, treatments influenced (P = 0.022) sow mortality rate: CON had no mortality and Myc 15.8% and Myc+deact 10.5%. Same observation was made for the lactation period (P = 0.017): CON showed a lower mortality rate compared to the mycotoxin fed sows (5.0 vs. 31.2 vs. 11.8%, respectively for CON, Myc and Myc+deact). Sow milk production yield was greater (P = 0.021) in CON (11.66 vs. 9.53 vs. 9.67 kg/ d, respectively for CON, Myc and Myc+deact). As a consequence of that, treatments also influenced piglet (P = 0.047) and litter (P = 0.048) weight with a higher value for CON sows, followed by Myc+deact and Myc. Our findings showed that the use of the deactivator can mitigate the negative effects on performance when animals are subjected to diets contaminated by challenging levels of mycotoxins.