Vomitoxin can also affect the health of animals that consume contaminated grain. Another mycotoxin, zearalenone, may also be produced under field conditions in Indiana. Zearalenone is an estrogenic mycotoxin. The concentrations of zearalenone are usually much lower than vomitoxin. Vomitoxin causes feed refusal and poor weight gain in livestock.
Hogs are most sensitive to vomitoxin, even at one part per million contamination of hog feed.
The toxin can also cause problems in horses, breeding and lactating animals, but at high concentrations. Cattle, sheep and poultry are more tolerant of vomitoxin. Diluting scabby wheat with normal quality grain may be a logical method of feeding wheat safely to on farm livestock. Contact a veterinarian or feed specialist for further information on safe feeding levels of animals. The presence and amount of vomitoxin from scabby grain can only be verified through chemical analysis.