On the transfer of the Fusarium toxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) from the sow to the full-term piglet during the last third of gestation

Pregnant sows were fed either a control diet (CON, n = 8, 0.21 mg DON and 0.004 mg ZON/kg diet) or a diet containing 40% of a Fusarium toxin contaminated wheat (MYCO, n = 7, 9.57 mg DON and 0.358 mg ZON/kg diet) from day 75 to 110 of gestation. Piglets were delivered by Caesarean section at the end. Spleen weights of piglets from the MYCO group were significantly lower. Hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit were also significantly decreased in these piglets, although this effect was more obvious in female than in male piglets.The transfer of DON and ZON was evaluated by the diet ratio (sum of concentrations of all metabolites in the physiological specimen divided by the dietary toxin concentration) and the piglet ratio (sum of concentrations of all metabolites in the physiological specimen of the piglet divided by that of the sows). The diet ratio for the liver (sows only) amounted to 0.001 (DON + de-epoxy-DON) and 0.016 (ZON and metabolites). The diet ratios of DON in bile reached up to 0.041 and 0.003 for sows and piglets, respectively, and those for ZON up to 2.896 and 0.128. The piglet ratios in bile varied up to 0.309 and 0.518 for DON and ZON, respectively, whereas nearly similar DON concentrations were found in serum of piglets and sows (median piglet ratio of 0.750).The results of the study suggest that the developing fetus is exposed to DON, ZON and their metabolites when the sows are fed a Fusarium toxin contaminated diet.