A comprehensive survey on the effects of aflatoxin B1 in birth outcomes and milk yield of pregnant cows and buffaloes.

Aflatoxins, highly toxic compounds produced by species of Aspergillus Flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, are known carcinogens that are also associated with adverse birth outcomes. There are no published randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of aflatoxin exposure during pregnancy. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a research investigate the potential role of aflatoxin exposure in intrauterine growth retardation, preterm birth, and pregnancy loss. This study was carried out on 1.600 pregnant animals (850 cows and 750 buffaloes) from different farms in three provinces during three years from (2017-2019). The results revealed that adverse birth outcomes due to aflatoxin exposure in pregnant cows and buffaloes are abortions, stillbirth and fetal resorption. Examination of the placenta of aborted cases and stillbirth indicate the presence of placental retention in addition to a leathery thickening of areas in between the cotyledons. Some cases of abortion and stillbirth have rectal prolapse but cases of fetal resorption do not have this problem, in the same time all cases have decreased milk yield. Studying the relationship among aflatoxin of diet with milk in both groups A and B revealed the presence of significant relationship (P<0.05) between total aflatoxin level in ration and aflatoxin levels in milk (M1) in all cases of abortion, stillbirth with low birth weight and fetal resorption in group B. Regarding to milk yield, there was no significant relationship between aflatoxin levels of feed and/or milk with milk production, somatic cell count, milk protein and fat.