Mycotoxicoses of the bovine with reference to fungi and toxins associated with disease

[Bovine Toxicology]

Abstract

The mycotoxicoses are a group of diseases caused by toxins produced by a number of different fungi. In many instances, the toxins represent secondary metabolites produced by fungi following a growth phase of the fungus. There are approximately 50 different genera of fungi in four major toxonomic groups capable of producing over 100 different toxins. We are concerned, however, only with those that may become involved with animal health because they (1) produce toxins orally active or potentially poisonous by other exposure routes for animals and man, (2) can be isolated from food and feedstuffs or (3) (toxins) are found naturally occurring in food and feedstuffs in amounts sufficient to be responsible for disease.