Mycotoxins continue to present a widespread and often underestimated challenge in livestock production. While they are invisible and unpredictable, their impact on animal health and performance is very real.
The latest insights from Volac’s Mycocheck 2025 Annual Report highlight just how common mycotoxin contamination is across both the UK, Ireland, and globally - reinforcing the need for a more proactive and informed approach to managing risk on farm.
What are Mycotoxins and Why Should We Care?
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by moulds, often as a response to stress such as changes in temperature, moisture, or nutrient availability. Crucially, they are not living organisms, meaning they cannot be removed through standard feed management practices or sterilisation. This makes them particularly difficult to control - and even harder to predict.
The Reality: Mycotoxins Are Everywhere
Data from the Mycocheck service shows that mycotoxins are present in the vast majority of samples analysed, highlighting just how widespread contamination has become. In 2025, 898 samples were analysed Globally with 93.5% testing positive for mycotoxins - a significant increase from 78.9% in 2024. Importantly, one in three samples were categorized as medium risk or higher, demonstrating that even moderate levels of contamination can have a real impact on performance.
Not All Mycotoxins Are Equal
The majority of risk is driven by Fusarium mycotoxins, particularly Deoxynivalenol (DON), T2 and HT2 toxins, and Zearalenone. These toxins are commonly found and are more difficult to manage compared to aflatoxins, requiring a more advanced approach than traditional binders.
What Does This Mean on Farm?
The impact of mycotoxins is often subtle but cumulative. Common effects include reduced feed intake, digestive issues, suppressed immune function, fertility challenges, and reduced milk yield and quality.
Modern dairy systems are increasing this risk, with higher yielding cows, longer lifespans, and greater reliance on concentrate feeds meaning even low levels of mycotoxins can have a significant impact.
The Challenge: You Don’t Always Know It’s There
Mycotoxin risk is highly variable, changing between fields, clamps, and throughout the season. This inconsistency makes it difficult to predict and means problems are often only identified once performance has already been affected.
From Reactive to Proactive Management
The key takeaway is the need to move from reactive to proactive management. Even low-risk situations can impact performance, particularly during stress periods such as transition.
Using tools like Mycocheck allows for better understanding of risk, more informed feeding decisions, and targeted mitigation strategies.
Supporting Performance at Every Level of Risk
Modern mycotoxin challenges require solutions that go beyond simple binding. A more comprehensive approach supports both mycotoxin deactivation and endotoxin (LPS) management, helping to support gut health and overall performance.
Solutions such as UltraSorb can support performance across all levels of risk, providing consistent protection in an unpredictable environment.
Final Thoughts
Mycotoxins are a consistent and growing challenge in modern livestock systems. The data clearly shows that contamination is widespread, risk is often underestimated, and the impact on performance is real.
Taking a proactive approach to understanding and managing mycotoxins is key to protecting herd health, maintaining performance, and supporting long-term farm profitability.
Stay ahead of mycotoxin risk
The Mycocheck report is just one snapshot.
We’ll be sharing more insights, on-farm learnings and practical guidance over the coming months, helping you turn data like this into real decisions in the yard.
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