Presence of aflatoxin B1 in goat feed in goat milk production units of the Mexican Highlands

Abstract

The presence of aflatoxins in silage and grains intended for feeding lactating ruminants entails a problem for animal health and milk safety. The objective of this study was to determine the aflatoxin B1 content in feed consumed by goats from four goat milk production units in the Mexican highlands (MHL). Samples (n= 47) of concentrates and 29 samples of silage from four goat milk production units in the Mexican Highlands (MHL) were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), using a reversed-phase column and fluorescence detection after the derivatization of aflatoxins. The results showed that 38.29 % and 31.02 % of the concentrate and silage samples, respectively, had AfB1 levels above the maximum permissible limit established by the European Union (EU) (0.05 μg/kg); while 29.78 % and 10.34 % for concentrates and silage, respectively, presented values higher than the 20 μg/kg proposed by the official Mexican standard. The results obtained corroborate the current problem of the presence of aflatoxins in the diet of lactating goats, as this toxin can be metabolized into aflatoxin M1 and affect the safety of milk and milk derivatives.