Hogs Nutrition

Mycotoxin Risk Holds Steady in 2025

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 19:49:10 GMT

According to the dsm-firmenich World Mycotoxin Survey , which assessed the global mycotoxin threat, 86% of North American samples tested above the recommended threshold for at least one mycotoxin. While mycotoxin levels haven’t necessarily escalated from 2024 to 2025, there was a shift in the distribution, which has some implications for cattle and swine operations.

“The 2025 results show a continued mycotoxin challenge, with contamination rates rising for both aflatoxins and zearalenone and average levels increasing across all major mycotoxins,” said Ursula Hofstetter, head of mycotoxin risk management at dsm-firmenich, in a press release.

The Major Players

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by fungi, most commonly Fusarium, Aspergillus and Claviceps species. They develop in the field and can persist through harvest and storage. Weather stress, hybrid selection and storage management all influence which toxins dominate in a given year.

The primary mycotoxins shaping North American livestock risk in 2025 were:

Deoxynivalenol (DON)
A Type B trichothecene produced by Fusarium species. Commonly found in corn and wheat. Often referred to as ‘vomitoxin’.
Zearalenone (ZEN)
Also a Fusarium toxin. Structurally estrogenic and frequently present alongside DON in corn and small grains.
Fumonisins (FUM)
Produced by Fusarium verticillioides and related species. Predominantly found in corn.
Aflatoxins (AFLA)
Produced by Aspergillus species. More common in drought- or heat-stressed corn.
Ergot alkaloids (ERGOT)
Produced by Claviceps species. Typically associated with small grains.

These toxins rarely occur in isolation. Co-contamination often shapes the reality producers see on the farm.

What Changed from 2024 to 2025

The 2025 North American mycotoxin prevalence in raw materials compared to 2024 shows the following shifts:

DON: 74% → 76%
ZEN: 73% → 78%
FUM: 46% → 55%
AFLA: 15% → 17%
ERGOT: 44% → 9%

Trichothecenes remain deeply entrenched, with DON prevalence increasing slightly. Most of this increase is a result of an increase in wheat (73% → 93%). Meanwhile, fumonisins rose meaningfully and ergots dropped sharply.

Cattle: Rumen Function, Immune Resilience and Production Losses

Cattle historically are considered somewhat more resilient to mycotoxins than monogastrics, owing to partial ruminal detoxification. However, evidence increasingly shows persistent exposure to Fusarium toxins like DON, ZEN and FUM, especially in combination, can exert significant effects on digestion, immunity and metabolic health.

When looking at global finished feed samples for ruminants:

DON was prevalent in 69% of samples and above the risk threshold in 53% of samples.
ZEN was prevalent in 73% of samples and above the risk threshold in 33% of samples.
AFLA was present in 34% of samples and above the risk threshold in 29% of samples.

Studies have demonstrated short-term exposure to Fusarium toxins, including ZEN and FUM, affects fermentation patterns and the microbial community, which in turn can reduce fiber breakdown and volatile fatty acid production — key drivers of energy supply in cattle. Even modest disruptions to the rumen microbiota can reduce feed efficiency and gain over time.

The immune system is also affected by mycotoxins. The immunosuppressive effects of common mycotoxins in ruminants have been documented , including alterations in cytokine gene expression, immunoglobulin production and macrophage function.

Further, individual toxins like AFLA have well-established effects on liver function and general metabolism in cattle. Chronic AFLA exposure has been linked to reduced appetite, lower weight gains and elevated liver enzymes, indicating compromised hepatic function that can impact production and health resilience.

These findings indicate how cattle performance and disease resistance can be eroded by the mycotoxin patterns reported in the 2025 data. Persistent DON and ZEN exposure, combined with higher FUM presence, places additional load on rumen fermentation and immune competence, potentially contributing to subclinical production drift.

Swine: Immune Disruption, Gut Barrier Injury and Performance Drag

In swine, elevated prevalence of DON, ZEN and FUM can exert systemic effects on immune function, gut integrity and reproductive physiology at both clinical and subclinical levels.

When looking at global finished feed samples for swine:

DON was present in 85% of samples and above the risk threshold in 41% of samples.
ZEN was present in 79% of samples and above the risk threshold in 19% of samples.
FUM was present in 44% of samples and above the risk threshold in 8% of samples.

Research has shown DON and FUM alter the gut epithelial barrier, impair immune defenses and increase bacterial translocation from the gut, making pigs more susceptible to infections even when properly vaccinated. In the immune tissues themselves, DON exposure has been linked to changes in the gene expression of key antimicrobial and inflammatory regulators, implying a weakened ability to respond to disease challenge at the cellular level.

ZEN adds another layer of complexity. Beyond its well-known estrogenic effects (i.e., swelling of reproductive tissues and altered estrous cycles), ZEN has been shown to suppress antibody production in porcine immune cells, reducing levels of IgM, IgG and IgA. These immunoglobulins are important for protective vaccine responses. This explains why farms employing what should be effective vaccination programs still report breakthrough disease.

Collectively, these mechanisms mean widespread DON and ZEN exposure is a disease vulnerability issue. When the gut barrier is compromised and immune cell function is suppressed, pigs are less able to defend against respiratory pathogens, enteric bacteria and systemic infections alike, and their response to vaccination may be diminished.

Mycotoxin Co-Contamination Defines 2025

The defining feature of mycotoxins in 2025 is not a single toxin spike, but co-contamination. Feeds routinely contain multiple mycotoxins at once and their effects overlap, creating steady biological pressure.

The result is rarely dramatic toxicosis, but production drift is reflected in reduced gains, narrower reproductive margins, lowered health resilience and increased performance variability.

With persistent DON, rising ZEN and higher FUM prevalence in North America, ingredient-level vigilance and close monitoring of performance trends are important. The mycotoxin burden did not spike, but it did rearrange.

How and When to Give Iron Injections

Tue, 03 May 2022 17:34:43 GMT

There’s no question that newborn piglets are more susceptible to iron deficiency due to inadequate iron stores at birth and rapid growth rate before weaning. But little research exists on just how much iron is needed and the best time to administer iron injections.

Research at Kansas State University took a deeper dive into this subject in an attempt to build the amount of information available on this important topic, said Joel DeRouchey, professor of swine nutrition and management at Kansas State University, during a SowBridge seminar hosted by the Iowa Pork Industry Center on Wednesday.

What is the ideal dosage of iron for piglets?
The researchers evaluated the effects of increasing the dosage of iron in newborn piglets on suckling and subsequent nursery performance and iron status on 336 newborn pigs utilizing DNA genetics. A total of 28 litters were evaluated over a 63-day study.

On the day of processing, approximately three days after farrowing, six barrows and six gilts within each litter were allotted to one of six treatments including a negative control with no iron injection, and GleptoForte™ iron injections at 50 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg and a 200 mg + 100 mg booster at day 11 post-birth.

Weights and blood samples were evaluated throughout the study. Hayden Williams, a Ph.D. graduate student who led this research, said from birth until weaning, the 100 mg injection of iron maximized growth performance, but the 200 mg iron injection provided the greatest iron blood status for the pig when entering the nursery.

During the nursery phase, the 200 mg iron injection maximized growth performance and blood status, Williams said. Little difference was observed between doses of 150 mg and 200 mg.

The researchers also discovered that the 100 mg booster did not provide a growth performance benefit in either farrowing or nursery, but did result in greater hemoglobin, Hct and serum iron at weaning as compared to the 200 mg injection alone.

Feeding nursery diets that included 110 ppm of added iron sulfate restored blood iron status in the pigs that received no or low levels of injected iron at processing by the end of the nursery period.

“But the poor growth performance couldn’t be compensated,” DeRouchey said. “We didn’t capture that back by feeding nursery diets with iron sulfate.”

When is the best time to give iron injections?
Most producers give iron injections ranging from 2 to 6 days after birth. Researchers decided to evaluate the effects of iron injection timing after birth in newborn piglets on suckling and subsequent nursery performance iron status.

The team evaluated 324 newborn, DNA-sired pigs in 27 litters. Two days after birth, six barrows and six gilts within each litter were allotted to one of six treatments in a completely randomized design. Treatments were arranged with increasing age of newborn pigs each receiving a single, 200-mg injection of GleptoForte™ iron.

One group received no iron, the other five groups received the iron at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days after birth. Pigs were weighed and blood samples were evaluated.

From birth until weaning, the 200 mg iron injection provided the greatest growth performance on day four and day six, Williams said. The greatest blood iron status was realized on day six.

During the nursery phase, Williams noted that the 200 mg iron injection on day four or day six provided the greatest body weight at the end of the nursery phase. They did not find any evidence of difference in blood iron status in the nursery.

What does the research recommend?
The 200 mg injection of iron provided the best growth response, DeRouchey said. He noted that they did not test levels above 200 mg, however he is confident that 200 mg is an adequate level to get optimal results given the booster injection provided no further benefit, but more research should be done to confirm this finding.

“Some pigs receive iron earlier in life, but it’s important to review your SOPs and protocols,” he said. “We need to minimize how many pigs get iron too soon after birth. Based on the data, we give up growth performance by giving them iron too soon. The research shows days four and six are an optimal time to give your piglets the iron they need.”

More from Farm Journal’s PORK:

Why Do Piglets Need Iron?

Lactation Diets in Late Gestation

USDA's January Grain Stocks Reports Shocked The Market One Year Ago, Will It Happen Again?

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 14:32:51 GMT

USDA is preparing to release a batch of reports on Wednesday that will not only reveal the final crop production numbers for the 2021 growing year, but also provide an updated look at crop potential in South America. Considering the weather concerns in South America have been the main driver of the soybean market lately, an updated look at the supply and demand balance sheet will also be closely followed this week.

In USDA’s December report , the agency left both its soybean and corn yield estimates untouched, with soybeans coming it at 51.2 bu. per acre and corn at 177 bu. per acre. Garrett Toay of AgTraderTalk says it’s possible USDA makes adjustments in its crop production report this week.

“I think the biggest thing that could be a surprise on the production side, because the heavy rains in the Eastern CornBelt that the November report got the market leaning toward, they’re expecting a bean yield portion in the 51 to 51.5 [bu. per acre]. They didn’t account for the rains that we had in Indiana, Ohio, which kind of set those Eastern Corn Belt yields back,” says Toay.

Toay says on the supply side, it seems unlikely USDA will raise yields in the January report this week. That’s why he thinks the bigger question is if USDA will post a larger than expected decline in yields due to weather issues in the East.

The Big Question About Demand

January is the only month when the WASDE and Grain Stocks reports are released on the same day.

While private firms are starting to make cuts to their South American production estimates, USDA will have to choose in the big crop reports next week whether the agency is ready to make adjustments to the USDA forecast just yet.

“The demand side, though, we’re going to probably see a production decline in South America, whether the USDA wants to or not in this report, it’s just the question of whether they do it or not,” Toay adds. “But that’s going to potentially narrow up that 300-million-bushel gap that we’ve got in the export as estimates versus the actual commitments, which is going to be responsible ultimately, for the increases in US soybean carry out from this point forward.”

The Big Miss in 2021

Toay says last year, USDA drew some criticism in the Grain Stocks report. That’s as the trade expected grain stocks to come in at 11.951 billion bushels, but USDA reported grain stocks as of December 1 were actually closer to 11.321 billion bushels, which was a 600 million bushel gap. USDA said the lower stocks were due to lost production from derecho, as well as test weight issues. Toay thinks that type of “surprise” probably won’t happen this year.

“The Grain Socks report is really where the tire meets the road, but I think the fact of the matter is I don’t think that we can expect to see another 600 million-bushel miss like we saw last year,” says Toay. “And obviously with the South American weather, the beans have been the leader and it’s pulled corn higher, but if this USDA report was held late last week, March soybeans are the exact same price as what they were this this point last year, but corn is $1.10 higher.”

The Story in Basis

Brian Splitt of AgMarket.net. says basis seems to be telling the story best right now, as he thinks the balance sheet is tighter than what USDA has revealed so far.

“We have a client in Liberal, Kansas that has a local feed yard out there bidding $1 over the board,” says Splitt. “So this is something that I think is going to potentially show lighter than expected stocks. And we’ll see how the overall production numbers come out. But the structure of the market is telling us right now that things may be a little bit tighter than what the USDA is leading on for corn

As farmers face a situation where local buyers are aggressively trying to source and buy corn right now, Splitt thinks that sets the stage for USDA big reports this week.

“There is an awful lot that’s going to happen on these numbers next week,” says Splitt. “I think based on some of the signals the market is telling us, and specifically for corn, we continue to look at the lack of carry in the market. March and May corn are essentially trading at the same price. Both of those are trading a few cents over the July contract.”

Current Export Demand

Splitt says the corn export pace compared to soybean exports tell a slightly different story.

“Exports are good are running well above the five-year average on exports. And that might not be the case on soybeans, we’re running right at about the five-year average. But as Garrett had mentioned, I think those sales will come down the road, especially if we continue to see these numbers in South America drop.”

Splitt says South America is a mixed bag for production right now. Some key growing areas have been seeing steady doses of rain, but other areas across Brazil and Argentina haven’t been that fortunate.

“The areas in central northern Brazil are looking very good, and we saw the acreage increases in the areas that are seeing good productive production potential,” says Splitt. “But we’re going to be kind of looking at what the weather looks like in those areas over the next two weeks. Because if we keep getting rain, and maybe as much as 150 to 200% of normal, that’s going to slow down harvest and that is going to delay the planning of the Safina corn crop which was a problem last year that pushed their corn crop into the dry season. That might bring some concerns about their corn crop down the road several months. So, I think we’ve got a lot of reasons to still be friendly about the demand potential.”

Demand Risk?

With corn export pace sitting ahead of the five-year average, what type of risk is there in the overall demand picture? Toay thinks that could sit with the domestic side of the equation, specifically with feed and residual use.

“We have a reduced herd in the cattle market, but I think it’s a short term issue, rather than a long term issue in demand,” says Toay. “I think when you look at this corn rally that we’ve had on the heels of the South American weather issues, ethanol prices are moving in the opposite direction , but now with this issue in Kazakhstan and crude back above $80. So maybe that helps the ethanol market. But these ethanol margins have really kind of come under pressure, it’s probably a short-term issue.”

On the demand side, South America is a factor analysts are watching, but China is what Toay calls “the $64,000 question.”

“I’m not necessarily sure that they’re going to be buying corn right now,” says Toay. “They’ve got the book on and they bought at substantially cheaper prices. But if you look at what’s going on here, we had the hurricane in the U.S., and they’re [China] astute traders, they shifted their buying to Ukraine, they bought all the cheap Ukraine corn maybe arbitraged out some of their U.S. shipments. The shipment pace is going to pick up for China here.”

Toay says China continues to be strong buyers of U.S. sorghum, and considering the weather and crop concerns in South America, China could come in with more interest in corn from the U.S. again.

“If you get a nervous China, they may step in here and buy some corn. But as Brian said, I think it’s more about execution than purchases at this point,” says Toay.