Mycotoxins in the food chain:: Appearance of the toxins in sheep milk and milk products

Mycotoxin contamination of sheep feed, blood, milk and milk product was studied in a conventional dairy sheep herd in Fast Hungary. Content of DON, Ochratoxin, F-2 and T-2 of 28 sheep feed and at the same time DON and F-2 content of blood, milk and milk product (kephir) was analysed. Mycotoxin was found in almost all feed samples tested. Highest DON content was shown in winter concentrates (1,53-1,6mg/kg) and corn silage (1,119-1,045mg/kg). Higher F-2 was found in corn silage (0,187-0,216mg/kg) and alfalfa haylige (0,181mg/kg). T-2 was detected at lower content (0-0,0035 mg/kg) in nearly all samples. Ochratoxin contamination was shown only in few samples at low levels. F-2 (0,1-9,6 mu g/l) and DON (0,9-12,4 mu g/l) were also found in plasma samples of ewes tested. These later two toxins were also detected in milk (F-2: 0,2-2,5 mu g/l; DON : 0,4-7,2 mu g/l). However no mycotoxin was detected in kefir.