What is Aflatoxin?
Since the late 1990s, the discussion of aflatoxin and other mycotoxins in wildlife feed has been in and out of the news spotlight. Aflatoxin is a toxic substance produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. This fungus commonly grows on corn, milo, feed pellets and cereal grains. There are at least eight other toxins that can grow on corn or feed pellets, but aflatoxin seems to be the most prevalent.
The United States Food and Drug Administration does not allow grain tested at more than 20 parts per billion to be fed to dairy cattle or to be used in grain products headed for human consumption. However, there are no regulations for use as wildlife feed, and the grain tested at or above 20 parts per billion is often used as wildlife feed.
