January 2026 - Journal_Final - Flipbook - Page 10
Nutrition
FEED SMARTER, NOT HARDER:
Using Mycotoxin Data to Feed your Herd
Kiah Berg
Vice President of Nutrition
Pipestone Nutrition
Originally from Philomath, Oregon, Kiah Berg grew up raising and
showing pigs. Her involvement in the swine industry continued in
college, where she earned her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in applied swine
nutrition from Kansas State University. Berg joined the Pipestone team
in 2020 and currently serves farmers as Vice President of Nutrition,
overseeing formulation, business development, and research activities.
Harvest 2025 is wrapped up, and as feed ingredient
samples roll into labs, testing is bringing clarity to an
otherwise chaotic growing season.
Mother Nature delivered a year of extremes—record
rain and humidity in some areas, drought stress in
others, and near-perfect conditions elsewhere. That
variability makes it dif昀椀cult to rely on assumptions or
historical averages. Instead, the data is telling the story.
In regions where crops experienced stress, lab results
are showing elevated mycotoxin levels in corn and corn
byproducts, including DDGs, across a wider geography
than we’ve seen in recent years.
In a season de昀椀ned by inconsistency, timely testing and
accurate data are what allow producers to move from
uncertainty to informed, con昀椀dent feed decisions.
Mycotoxins are toxins
produced by molds (fungi)
and can accumulate in
crops, where they pose
health hazards to humans
and animals. Mycotoxins
are estimated to affect
25% of the world’s crops
and cost US agriculture
approximately $1 billion
each year.
What Mycotoxins Should We Watch Out For?
Vomitoxin (DON)
Symptoms
• Sudden decrease in feed
intake
• Slower growth rate
Concern Level in Complete Feed
• Above 1.5 ppm
Fumonisin (FUM)
Symptoms
• Immunosuppression
• Heart failure and 昀氀uid in the
lungs in extreme cases
Concern Level in Complete Feed
• Above 7 ppm
Zearalenone
Symptoms
• Swollen vulvas in young gilts
• False pregnancy or early
embryo loss in sows
Concern Level in Complete Feed
• Above 100 ppm
10 | PIPESTONE JOURNAL
