Occurrence: Worldwide.   Species affected: All.   Age affected: All. Young are most susceptible.

Causes: Consumption of feed containing grain (corn, wheat and barley) which is contaminated with ochratoxin produced by Aspergillus ochraceous or Penicillium viridicatum.

Effects: Diarrhoea, depressed growth, reduced pigmentation, soiled eggs, tremors, hypotension and bradycardia (Slow heart rate). In laying hens, reduced egg production, fertility and hatchability, and reduced egg size and shell quality can also occur.

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolic by-products of fungal growth on grains. High moisture content of grains can lead to fungal growth and toxin production. Fungi can produce toxins before or after grain harvest. Drought and insect damage to grain increase susceptibility of grain to fungal growth. This happens mainly with grains produced in colder climates.

All ages, but in particular young birds are susceptible. This disease has an acute to chronic action depending on the level of toxin (high levels produce acute disease, low-chronic), duration of exposure (long term-chronic, short term-acute) and the age of the bird (young birds have acute, old-chronic). Consumption of feed containing grain (corn, wheat and barley), which has been contaminated with toxin produced by. Aspergillus ochraceous or Penicillium viridicatum may cause ochratoxin intoxication.

Consumption of feed containing toxin causes the disease.

Signs include diarrhoea, depressed growth, reduced pigmentation, soiled eggs, tremors, hypotension and bradycardia (slow heart rate).

Reduced egg production, fertility and hatchability and reduced egg size and shell quality can occur.

Fatty liver with haemorrhage, enlarged pale kidneys with urates, heart necrosis, and urate deposits on the liver, spleen and pericardium can be seen.

The clinical signs and lesions are helpful, but the only definitive diagnosis is from feed analysis for the presence of toxin.

It simulates aflatoxicosis, visceral gout, infectious bronchitis (IB), IBD, citrinin toxicity and malabsorption syndrome.

Feed ingredients should be dried thoroughly and feed bins sanitised. Mouldy feed should never be given to birds. Mould inhibitors can be added to the feed and feed storage time reduced to prevent the growth of fungi and toxin production. Toxin binders, have little or no effect on ochratoxin.

Increasing the protein, vitamin and mineral and energy content of the diet can alleviate symptoms. Ochratoxin is less common than aflatoxin, but is more toxic (ppb) and immunodepressive.

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