Experimental study of the effects of known quantities of zearalenone on swine reproduction.

Experiments were carried out in order to study the effect of known quantities of zearalenone on reproductive performance of gilts. Zearalenone was produced on autoclaved corn using pure cultures of Fusarium graminearum Schwabe (local strain of Leskovac). The amount of 22.09 mg/kg of zearalenone in the ration of breeding gilts had an obvious harmful effect on their reproductive performance decreased number of corpora lutea, decreased weight of ovaries, decreased number of live embryos, increased number of dead-born piglets, and the occurrence of abortus. These effects were less pronounced in gilts fed mashes containing 2.2 mg/kg zearalenone. However, in both groups the uterotropic effect of zearalenone was obvious.