Survey of molds and mycotoxins for their ability to cause feed refusal in chickens.

The cause of feed refusal by poultry is an important problem that has not been established. T-2 toxin, a culture filtrate of Fusarium roseum NRRL 1181 containing a high concentration of diacetoxyscirpenol, and a filtrate of Penicillium citrinum containing an unknown factor produced refusal activity in week-old chickens. Citrinin stimulated water consumption while aflatoxin did not affect feed consumption. Detection of refusal activity was more sensitive when the refusal factor was presented in the drinking water than in the feed. The experimental model used here was sensitive, and, with appropriate controls, would appear suitable for the isolation and study of new factors capable of causing feed refusal in poultry.