Molds, Mycotoxins and Their

Effect on Horses

Dr.Kedar Karki
 Background
• Pasture grasses, hay, grain, straw and stubble can all
support the growth of various fungi. The fungi can exist
as saprophytes, living on the outside of the plant and
obtaining nutrients from the plant with no benefit to the
plant, or exist as endophytes within the plant in a
symbiotic relationship, providing benefits to the plant
while obtaining nutrients from the plant. The saprophytes
include the more common genera Aspergillus, Claviceps,
Stachybotrys, Fusarium and Penicillium. The endophytes
live between the plant's cell walls and include the more
common genera Balansia, Epichloe, Acremonium and
Neotyphodium.
 Background
• Whole grain wheat is not normally fed in large
amounts to horses. However, whole wheat,
wheat bran and wheat by-products can be
incorporated into blended horse feeds such as
sweet feed and pelleted feeds. In addition,
horses are commonly bedded on wheat-straw
and some horses will consume a significant
amount of their straw bedding.
 Background
• In wet harvest years, ingested DON concentrations on a total ration
basis could be significant. In the harvest year of 2000, the following
results were obtained:
* 85% (97 of 114) of wheat samples contained concentrations of
DON greater than 1 ppm (mean 4.48 ppm, range 0.33 to 28.4 ppm).
The zearalenone levels were of little concern, with concentrations in
most cases less than 0.15 ppm.
* 48% of 50 samples of wheat shorts had concentrations of DON
greater than 1 ppm. The mean concentration was 1.8 ppm and the
highest detected was 4.6 ppm.
* Analysis of wheat straw revealed concentrations of DON ranging
from undetectable to 16.5 ppm.
 Prevention and
Recommendations
• Research into the effects of mycotoxins on horses is in its infancy.
As a general rule, err on the side of caution.
* Feed and bed horses with hay/grain and bedding free of
mycotoxins.
* The amount of DON in cereal straw depends primarily on the
presence of contaminated grain and chaff. Tedding or raking prior to
baling the straw will reduce the chaff and kernels and, therefore, the
concentrate of mycotoxins.
* Since the potential concern with horses is the risk of an additive
effect, in harvest years with high DON concentrations, consider
limiting the use of straw bedding; ensure horses are fed high quality
hay and in sufficient amounts to limit the eating of bedding.
 Prevention and
Recommendations
• * Late-gestation mares should never be allowed to
consume cereal-rye straw, endophyte-infected hay or
stubble or eat sclerotia-containing grain.

* All pasture/hay seed mixes containing tall fescue and

perennial ryegrass must be guaranteed endophyte-free.

* Mow grass pastures to keep them in a vegetative

state rather than letting them develop seed heads. This
will minimize the opportunity for proliferation of airborne
ascospore and the invasion of pasture plants.
 Prevention and
Recommendations
• * Check with your laboratory. HPLC
methodology may be more sensitive than
thin layer chromatography (TLC) when
trying to identify ergot alkaloid
concentrations less than 1 ppm.

* Mares can be treated with

domperidone should an ergot alkaloid
problem be suspected.
 Binding Agents

•
Feed manufacturers often utilize binders of various types
in feeds to tie up mycotoxins. These include clay-based
binders and yeast cell wall extracts (e.g., Bio-Mos-M).
Raymond et al. concluded that supplementation with
0.2% yeast cell wall extract (a polymeric glucomannan
mycotoxin adsorbent) improved feed intake over feeding
contaminated feed alone but not when compared to
control diets not containing mycotoxins (2). The long-
term effects of binding agents are not clear; therefore,
they should be used with caution.
 References
• 1. Johnson PJ, Casteel ST, Messer NT. Effect of feeding deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin)-contaminated barley to horses. J. Vet Diagn Invest 1997; 9: 219-
221.
2. Raymond SL, Smith TK, Swamy HVLN. Effects of feeding of grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins on feed intake, serum
chemistry, and hematology of horses, and the efficacy of a polymeric glucomannan mycotoxin adsorbent. J. Anim. Sci. 2003; 81:2123-2130.
3. Barnett DT, Mowrey RA, Hagler WM Jr, Bristol DG, Mansmann RA. The correlation of selected mycotoxins to the incidence of colic in horses. World
Equine Veterinary Review 1997; 3 (1).
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Saunders, 1992: 377-380.
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follicular activity and embryo recovery in mares. Equine Vet J. Suppl. 1997; 25: 17-21.
7. Juhasz J, Nagy P, Kulesar M, Szigeti G, Reiczigel J, Huszenicza G. Effect of low-dose zearalenone exposure on luteal function, follicular activity and
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8. Asquith RL. Mycotoxicosis in horses. In: Smith JE, Henderson RS, eds. Mycotoxins and Animal Foods. CRC Press, 1991: 679-688.
9. Bacon CW. Fungal endophytes, other fungi, and their metabolites as extrinsic factors of grass quality. In: Forage Quality, Evaluation and Utilization.
Nutrition Conference on Forage Quality, University of Nebraska, 1994: 318-366.
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1991: 363-397.
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12. Wright RG, Boyce B, Van Dreumel T, Hazlett MJ, Cross DL. Ergot alkaloid toxicity in foaling mares associated with eating cereal rye straw. Abstract
presented at Equine Nutrition and Physiology Symposium, Lexington KY May 28/01.
 References
• 13. Craig M. Personal communication. Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
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concentrations in postdate gestation foals exposed in utero to the tall fescue endophyte Acremonium
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Res. Vet. Sc. 1975; 19: 44-55.
16. Schlafer DH. Gross examination of equine fetal membranes: What's important - What's not! Proceedings of
the Equine Symposium: Society for Theriogenology/American College of Theriogenologists, San Antonio, Texas
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17. Meronuck R, Concibido V. Mycotoxins in feed. Feedstuffs 1997; July 24: 142-148.
18. Action Levels of Aflatoxin in Corn. Aflatoxin Regulations. Food and Drug Administration Release, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services; October 5, 1998.
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feeding. PennState's College of Agricultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension note DAS 93-21: 1-16.
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Affairs, 1996.
21. Fumonisin Levels in Human Foods and Animal Feeds. Guidance for Industry. Food and Drug Administration
Release, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; November 9, 2001.
Author: Dr. Bob Wright -Veterinary Scientist/OMAFRA (Government of Ontario, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs)