UltraSorb - Mycotoxin Adsorbent

UltraSorb is a Complementary Feeding Stuff for use in animal nutrition. It contains biologically active components which counteract a wide range of mycotoxins present in feed by binding them into inactive or unavailable forms.

What Are Mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are poisons produced by naturally occurring moulds growing on plant material. When the plant material is used for producing animal feeds then the presence of these poisons is of great concern to all segments of the production animal Industry. It is reported that as much as 25% of the world's cereal grains may be contaminated with mycotoxins.

The prevailing weather in the UK over the last few seasons has impacted harvesting of feedstuffs from grass silage, ensiled whole crop cereals and combined cereal crops. Poor weather has both impacted the physiology of crops and the resulting delayed harvesting strategies have resulted in higher than normal mould populations on harvested feedstuffs both prior to and at harvest. All of those involved in feeding, or advising on the feeding, of these crops should be aware of the potential challenge of elevated levels of mycotoxins that are likely to be found in the feed.

• 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.

                                             Le Doux

Effect of mycotoxins on poultry liver

                                                                                                 Le Doux

Fumonisin: Causes reduced cardiac output and blood circulation. This manifests its effects as reduced growth rates and liver function in general and specifically pulmonary oedema in monogastrics.

Under UK growing conditions, especially this year, these toxins are seldom found in isolation. More typically a cocktail of them is found where one may be predominant. Such combinations may result in multiple impacts on the animals systems as shown above.

• Rough hair coats
• Poor body condition score in the absence of milk
• Poor milk production with poor components
• Foot and/or mouth lesions that won’t heal
• Bloody diarrhoea without fever
• Poor response to probiotics
• Poor fertility and breeding rates
• Non-transmission of symptoms through the herd and symptoms build gradually
• Heifers and gilts and with variable cycles, swollen udders, vaginitis
• Heifers and other young stock with poor growth rates
• Cows and sows with poor reproductive performance and increased incidence of abortion
• Manure variability, particularly with the presence of mucus tags – a key indicator.

• Highly selected aluminosilicates that have a wide range of binding affinities on most mycotoxins.

• Yeast cell wall extract (MOS) from a single selected source for binding key Fusarium toxins.

• Microbial extracts capable of carrying out biological transformation of the most difficult to bind toxins such as DON which does not effectively under normal conditions.

It can be difficult to diagnose mycotoxin poisoning as the reason for poor animal performance, low fertility or chronic disease issues when the levels are sub-clinical. However much can be inferred from the nature of the diet and other on farm data without the need for expensive and often difficult to interpret mycotoxin testing regimes.