Prevalence of rectal prolapse in piglets in the presence of mycotoxins in mash

Rectal prolapse in piglets and sows is quite common inindustrial farms. This pathology is most common among pigsaged 77-98 days (36.4%). According to the literature, there isa number of different factors that are considered causal, butthe pathogenesis of rectal prolapse in piglets for fattening hasnot been fully established. Regarding this at the enterprisePE Agricultural Firm"Svitanok" a study of hybrid DYLpiglets, aged 78-125 days, with rectal prolapse, receivingpigs’ complete feed PCF-4 (Grower) was conducted, inwhich mycotoxins were detected in small quantities. In thisregard, the adsorbent INTox (manufactured by Novakorm) inthe amount of 2 kg per ton of compound feed was used.Itwas found that rectal prolapse in Agricultural Firm Svitanokwas observed in piglets of 2-6 months age in 0.4% of thetotal population, more often in spring (0.23% of piglets), thelowest number of cases was registered in summer (0.03%),gender,cough and diarrhea did not affect this pathologyprogress. The study was performed on two groups of piglets,one was fed with sorbent-free compound feed and the otherwith compound feed with the sorbent added. Piglets were keptin groups of 30 heads. Watering and feeding of animals wasprovided by a fully automated system of drinking troughs andfeeders, which met animals' needs for food and water aroundthe clock. The experiment lasted for 47 days. At the end ofthe experiment the number of cases of rectal prolapse wasanalyzed, clinical examination of animals and examinationof animal serum for mycotoxins were performed. Bloodsamples were taken from the cranial vena cava, bloodserum was obtained by the method of centrifugation. Thepresence of zearalenone, α-zearalenone, β-zearalenone, DON(deoxyvalenone, vomitoxin), aflatoxin B was determined inthe blood serum.In the study of pig serum for the presenceof mycotoxins (with and without the use of adsorbent) it wasfound that all serum samples do not contain deoxyvalene, andthe content of aflotoxin B1, zearalenone and α-zearalenonedoes not exceed normal. However, in the absence of adsorbentin the feed an increased concentration of β-zearalenone wasfound, which ranges from 3.98 to 5.28 nanogram per milliliter,i.e.it exceeds the value of the norm in all cases (up to 3.0nanogram per milliliter). With the use of adsorbent, whichwas added, the concentration of β-zearalenone in the serumof animals was within normal limits, and the percentage ofpiglets with rectal prolapse decreased from 0.85 to 0.45%. Key words: pigs, intoxication, β-zearalenone, INToxadsorbent, prolapse, bloodserum.