Mycotoxins from fungal contamination of pig feed cause diverse health and welfare problems including reproductive failure, immune suppression, and neurological signs depending on the toxin involved.
Mycotoxin contamination causes welfare problems that are often chronic, insidious, and difficult to attribute without laboratory analysis. Pigs with subclinical mycotoxin exposure experience reduced wellbeing, immune compromise, and reproductive failure without obvious acute disease. The diffuse nature of these effects makes recognition challenging. Feed testing programs and mycotoxin binders reduce exposure but require investment and management attention. As climate change increases mycotoxin risk, proactive management becomes increasingly important for maintaining pig health and welfare.