Effect of Aflatoxins on Pig Growth and Their Elimination from the Body

T h e t o x i c e f f e c t o f a f l a t o x i n s o n p i g s , their distribution in -and elimination from body tissues were studied in a series of experiments. Results showed that: 1. the response of growing pigs to diets containing 100, 200 or 400 p p b af latox in B 1 was in accordance with the increasing concentration of the toxin a n d in reverse order to the age o f the p igs . While the 100 ppb concentration had no detectable effects on the animals, the 200 ppb depressed appetite, growth rate and feed convers ion e f f i c iency on ly in the younger p igs . The highest or 400 ppb treatment was toxic to pigs throughout the experiment. 2 . A f Latox ins B, and M, were present in the l iver, heart, muscle, skeletal m u s c l e and kidnev 24 hours atter treatment but only traces could be detected 48 I hours after administration. .TT J. Metabo l i sm o f a f la tox in B1 was rapid and short term administrations of up t o 2 m g B1/pig resulted in only traces of the toxin and its M 1 metabolite being Detectable 24 hours after treatment.