Mycotoxin Effects and Risk Management in Rabbit Production

Mycotoxins are produced by fungi and can have a relevant negative impact on animal health. Most of the finished feed and feed raw materials are contaminated by at least one type of mycotoxin, even when they are present at very low concentrations. In the present times, mycotoxin co-contamination occurrence assumes an increasing relevance in the diets. Acute (e.g., outbreaks) or subacute poisoning can occasionally occur, but chronic exposure is more frequent leading to mycotoxin accumulation in the animal’s body tissues. Clinical signs are usually unspecific and expressed as gastrointestinal disturbances, modulated by immunosuppressive condition, or related to organ damage. Due to the ubiquitous presence of mycotoxins in the environment, risk control programs are implemented in feed industry to decrease and control the impact of their contamination in final feed. This chapter highlights the main effects of mycotoxins in rabbits and provides insights for contamination risk management in feeds.