Aflatoxin B1 Contamination Status of Concentrate Feeds of Dairy Goats in Lahore, Pakistan

Aflatoxins are the secondary metabolites produced by molds particularly by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxin B1 is the most common metabolite highly toxic for humans and animals. In the present study contamination status of aflatoxin B1 in cotton seed cake, wanda, wheat bran and homemade concentrate mixture of dairy goats was investigated in district Lahore of Pakistan. A total of Twenty 20 goat farms were randomly selected and out of that 40 feed samples 2 from each farm were collected in the month of April. All the samples were analysed for the determination of aflatoxin B1 by using reverse phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC. Out of total samples Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 33 feed samples, with a percent contamination rate of 83%. The level of aflatoxin B1 ranged from 0 to 225.736 ppb in different feed samples. The maximum level of aflatoxin B1 was detected in cotton seed cake (mean level 137.059 ± 22.293 ppb) followed by wanda, homemade concentrate mixture and wheat bran.. Amongst the positive concentrate feed samples, 28 samples (85% of the positive) were having the concentration of aflatoxin B1 higher than the permissible level which is 5 ppb for concentrates as recommended by European Communities. It is concluded that the concentrate available for goat feeding is having aflatoxin B1 and its concentration is higher than the permissible level.