Mold Growth- Is it Eating Away the Value of Your Feed?
Have you ever had feed that was hot to touch? Perhaps you have noticed a musty smell in your feed bag but saw no evidence of contamination? It sounds like an instance where mold growth struck again! Mold spores are not visible to the human eye, so although you don’t see the fuzzy white, green or black hair-like structures, mold may still be present.
Although one can’t accurately calculate the financial losses, it is estimated that mold and mycotoxins cost billions of dollars each year, according to the Council for Agriculture Science and Technology in their 2003 report. Specifically, molds can seriously impact livestock performance. Mold not only causes nutrient destruction in feed, but consumption can severely decrease due to palatability issues. As a result, feed conversion is poor and growth rates are hindered. Of course, the damage does not stop here. Contaminated feed can cause a reduction in milk yields, diarrhea, anemia and abortion and an increased risk of death directly from mycotoxins and indirectly through compromised immune systems.
Mold not only causes nutrient destruction in feed, but consumption can severely decrease due to palatability issues. As a result, feed conversion is poor and growth rates are hindered. Of course, the damage does not stop here. Contaminated feed can cause a reduction in milk yields, diarrhea, anemia and abortion and an increased risk of death directly from mycotoxins and indirectly through compromised immune systems.
The presence of mold doesn’t necessarily mean you have mycotoxins or you need to dispose of the feed. Mycotoxins exist once mold has started to grow. It is important to remember that mold can grow under the right conditions. This can occur in the field before harvest, during transportation and storage and after feed is produced. Mold generally thrives off of these five factors:
- Available nutrients (carbohydrates, nitrogen, fat)
- Oxygen
- Temperatures above 54° F
- pH between 4-8
- Moisture of at least 10%-12%
Unfortunately, mold is an unavoidable contaminant; however, by using a mold inhibitor, you can protect the value of your feed. According to Dr. Kate Jackson, mold inhibitors are used to kill mold before harmful toxins, such as mycotoxins, are produced. Since mycotoxins are believed to generate towards the end of mold’s life cycle, mold inhibitors can still be effective in early mold growth stages (before visible evidence).
To learn more about mold inhibitors and why Myco-Lock®500 NC is the product of choice for mold control, check out “Myco-Lock®500 NC; protecting the value of your feed”.
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