The aim of this trial was to assess the effects of the administration of
different combinations of mycotoxins in naturally contaminated maize grains on
dairy heifer growth, blood measurements and puberty onset. A total of 35
Friesian female heifers were randomly allotted to three experimental groups from
18–21 to 42–45 weeks of age. During the 24-week
experimental period (EP), heifers were fed the same diet, but with maize meal
derived from three differently contaminated lots: very low contamination, as
control (C); medium–low aflatoxin-contaminated (A); and mixed
aflatoxin–fumonisin contaminated (A-F). At the end of the EP, they
returned to a common diet without contaminated maize, and they were monitored
for an additional period of 12 weeks (post-experimental period, PEP). BW, wither
height, hip height, body length and heart girth were measured every 4 weeks from
the beginning of EP to the end of PEP. At the same time, body condition score
was evaluated and blood samples were taken from the jugular vein to be analysed
for haematological, serum protein and metabolic profiles. Age at puberty was
assessed by measuring weekly plasma progesterone levels from 40 to 52 weeks of
age. Body growth measurements were processed both by ANOVA of average daily gain
of EP and PEP separately, and by the analysis of growth curve parameters.
Haematological, serum protein and metabolic profile were evaluated using a mixed
model, taking into account the repeated measurements in time on each animal.
Heifers’ growth was delayed both in A and A-F groups during EP, as
evidenced by the different linear coefficients of the BW growth curve in the
three groups. Differently contaminated diets did not affect the haematological
profile, so that it can be concluded that these levels of mycotoxin
contamination do not determine any specific effect on haematopoiesis and
immunity in growing heifers. The main blood marker of mycotoxin chronic toxicity
was the γ-glutamyl transferase activity level in
plasma, which appeared to be altered even after the removal of mycotoxins.
During EP, plasma glucose was lower in the groups fed contaminated diet compared
with C. The joint actions of an altered nutritional status and a long-lasting
liver damage were probably the causes of the delay in puberty attainment in A
and, particularly, in the A-F group. The results from this trial evidenced that
a chronic aflatoxin–fumonisin contamination in diets of dairy heifers
can determine an important delay in the reproductive career of these
animals.