Agriculture & Food, Volume 9, 2021

Abstract: The aim of the study was to predict the transfer of mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) from naturally contaminated feedstuffs to cows´ milk under on-farm conditions. The experiment was carried out in a private farm on 10 lactating Czech Fleckvieh x Holstein cows. The experiment lasted 14 days and was divided into an adaptation (11 d) and collection periods (3 d). The cows were fed individually twice a day and the diet consisted of corn silage, haylage, meadow hay and a supplemental mixture. Bulky feeds were produced from own-grown forages that were not treated against the fungi. Feed intake and milk yield was monitored daily. Samples of individual feedstuffs were analysed on the content of basic nutrients and DON. Milk was analysed on basic constituents. From the obtained results, dry matter (DM) and DON intakes were calculated. Content of DON in milk was predicted using carry-over rates of 0.0001 % and 0.0024 % available in the literature. All feedstuffs were naturally contaminated with DON. The highest concentration was found in corn silage, 389 μg/kg DM, and the lowest in hay and haylage, 15 μg/kg DM. The average daily intake of DON was 3515.3 μg/day. The predicted concentration of DON in milk ranged between 0.00018 and 0.00422 μg/l.