Haematological, clinical–chemical and immunological consequences of feeding Fusarium toxin contaminated diets to early lactating dairy cows

Abstract

Dairy cows experience a negative energy balance at the onset of lactation which results in an enhanced vulnerability for infectious diseases. Any dietary imbalances, including Fusarium toxin contamination, might therefore exacerbate this situation. The aim of the present investigations was to study the effects of increasing dietary concentrations of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) on clinical-chemical, haematological and immunological traits up to week 14 of lactation. For this purpose, ten cows each were assigned to a control group (CON; 0.02 mg ZEN and 0.06 mg DON per kg diet at 88 % DM), toxin level 1 (TOX-1; 0.29 mg ZEN and 2.31 mg DON per kg diet at 88 % DM) and toxin level 2 (TOX-2; 0.58 mg ZEN and 4.61 mg DON per kg diet at 88 % DM). The measured values of most parameters were affected by parturition but only a few of them were further modified by dietary treatment. For example, the time-dependent decrease in haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit and erythrocyte counts occurred at a significantly higher level for group TOX-2 while a serum glucose increase was missing in this group. Proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ cells decreased significantly over time solely in group TOX-2 while the CD4+/CD8+ ratio remained uninfluenced. Ability of granulocytes to mount an oxidative burst tended to increase at the end of the study in groups TOX-1 and TOX-2 while the opposite was observed in group CON. The results of this time-limited study indicate that feeding of Fusarium-toxin contaminated diets in early lactation affects health related parameters without compromising milking performance. However, long-term consequences of the observed effects on health need to be addressed in further studies.

Antibody response of growing German Holstein bulls to a vaccination against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is influenced by Fusarium toxin exposure in a non-linear fashion

“…It is interesting to note that a decrease in CD4+ T cells was also reported for early lactating dairy cows exposed to increasing dietary DON concentrations up to 5.2 mg/kg DM (Dänicke et al 2017 ). These and present results are anyway surprising since ingested DON is known to be largely metabolized to de-DON in the rumen resulting in serum de-DON levels substantially higher than that of non-metabolized DON (Dänicke and Brezina 2013 ).…”

“…3 a). The phenomenon of a DON-dose related increase in hematocrit was also observed in cows (Dänicke et al 2017 ) and pigs (Prelusky et al 1994 ) and was discussed as a myelotoxic or a haemo-concentrating effect induced by treatment-associated variations in water intake. However, both water intake and RDW remained uninfluenced by increasing DON exposure in the present study making myelotoxic or haemo-concentrating effects less probable.…”

“…The increase in erythrocyte counts and hematocrit as observed in the present experiment would rather suggest stimulating effects of feeding the FUS-contaminated diets. It has been discussed that bone marrow effects cannot be excluded because of the co-presence of other Fusarium toxins, i.e., modified forms of DON and ZEN such as DON-3-glucoside (4426 μg/kg), 3- and 15-acetyl-DON (545 and 3657 μg/kg), and ZEN-4-sulfate (183 μg/kg) besides the free DON and ZEN and other toxins like butenolid (2714 μg/kg), aurofusarin (25,904 μg/kg), culmorin (13,625 μg/kg), and 15- and 5-OH-culmorin (2350 and 12,081 μg/kg) (Dänicke et al 2017 ). While modified forms of DON and ZEN are systemically active in their free forms due to rumen metabolism (Dänicke and Brezina 2013 ), much less is known about bone marrow effects of other co-contaminating mycotoxins.…”

Effects of aflatoxin B1 combined with ochratoxin A and/or zearalenone on metabolism, immune function, and antioxidant status in lactating dairy goats

“…Such adverse effects have been reported by many authors. Abeni et al [ 16 ] showed that a combination of AFB1 and fumonisin could reduce RBC and MCH, and increase MCV and HGB, while Dänicke et al [ 29 ] observed that ZEA and DON together also had a negative effect on hematology. However, the effects of combinations of AFB1 with OTA and/or ZEA on ruminant hematological parameters have not been reported to date.…”

Risks to human and animal health related to the presence of deoxynivalenol and its acetylated and modified forms in food and feed

“…The kinetic of DON and DOM‐1 was studied in a total of eight non‐pregnant and non‐lactating cows, aged 5 years (two cows), 4 years (three cows) and 3 years (three cows), by Dänicke et al. (). During a 6 week pre‐experimental period, their diet changed from a pure straw ration to a total mixed ration containing 60% complementary feedingstuffs, 24% corn silage and 16% grass silage containing 0.19, 0.58 and 0.06 mg DON/kg dry matter and 0.02, 0.05 and 0.02 mg zearalenone/kg dry matter.…”