more info:
http://www.noble.org/ag/Soils/Aflatoxin/index.html
Understanding and Preventing Aflatoxin Poisoning
:"....Heat and lack of rainfall this summer have caused several problems for farmers and ranchers in Southern Oklahoma and Texas. Among these is the presence of aflatoxincontaminated grain being produced in the region. Aflatoxins are poisonous by-products produced from the fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. These fungi are found in the soil and are responsible for decomposition of plant materials.
Aflatoxin contaminated corn.
Photo/Courtsey Purdue University, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology.
Aspergillus is a mold that infects corn when stressed, but can infect other crops in the region such as grain sorghum, peanuts and cotton. Aflatoxins are odorless, tasteless and have no color: thus, they are difficult to detect. These toxins are extremely poisonous to humans, livestock and poultry. Four major types of aflatoxins are B1, B2, G1 and G2. Though all of these toxins are usually found in grain at a minute level, B1 is typically more abundant and causes an increased protein requirement in livestock and poultry that consume it.
Accumulation of aflatoxins is dependent on weather conditions. A dry growing environment or drought stress tends to favor the development of aflatoxins in corn. When soil moisture is below normal and temperatures are high, the number of Aspergillus spores in the air increases. During pollination, these spores infect corn kernels either through silks (pollination tubes) or through areas of damage caused by insects, birds and weather events. Once infected, plant stress such as nutrient deficiency, continued dry weather or kernel damage during harvest may increase aflatoxin levels.....
.....Aflatoxin consumption by livestock and poultry results in a disease called aflatoxicosis. Aflatoxins are metabolized in the liver of all living organisms. High concentrations can lead to acute liver disease or death within 72 hours. Lower concentrations have produced various symptoms, such as feed refusal, decreased feed efficiency, impaired reproduction, hemorrhaging in muscles and suppression of the immune system.
Feeding grain contaminated with any level of aflatoxin carries a considerable amount of risk............
........Grain in the region has become extremely affordable as a result of the drought and fear of aflatoxin contamination......If symptoms occur, discontinue feeding contaminated grain and return to an aflatoxin free diet immediately.
For more information about aflatoxins or laboratory locations, contact the Noble Foundation..."
Find a new source of feed is my advice just in case... review your storage situation etc.