EFFECT OF FEEDING DIETS CONTAINING DEOXYNIVALENOL (VOMITOXIN)-CONTAMINATED WHEAT OR CORN ON THE FEED CONSUMPTION, WEIGHT GAIN, ORGAN WEIGHT AND SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT OF MALE AND FEMALE PIGS

Abstract

Diets containing clean wheat, deoxynivalenol-contaminated wheat and Fusarium-inoculated corn were fed to 23-kg boars and gilts. Twelve Yorkshire pigs were fed the control diet (CW) and 18 each the contaminated-wheat (VW) and the inoculated corn (IC) diets (3.7 and 4.2 mg deoxynivalenol kg−1 respectively) for a 7-wk period, at which time each pig was necropsied. The diets caused a 23–29% reduction in feed consumption with considerable variation among pigs within diets. The VW pigs gained 30% less and the IC pigs 72% less weight than the controls. Differences in performance between boars and gilts were not significant (P > 0.05). Weights of the major body organs at necropsy followed the pattern set by body weights, i.e. CW > VW > IC (except the stomach and uterus), but this relationship did not remain when organ weights were expressed relative to body weight. Dietary differences (P < 0.01) were shown for the fundic region necropsy scores in which the IC diet caused less fundic mucosal inflammation than either of the other two diets, and in the esophageal region where the VW and IC diets seemed to have maintained the integrity of the mucosa better than the control diet. Histological examination of testis (seminiferous epithelium) and ovary (follicle) tissue revealed no significant differences in sexual development attributable to diet. The marked effect of the IC diet on feed intake and weight gain suggests the presence of another metabolite which adversely affected weight gains. Key words: Deoxynivalenol, vomitoxin, feeding, pigs, sex