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Relationship of Ochratoxin A to Foetal Death in Laboratory and Domestic Animals

Nature volume 234, pages 563–564 (1971)Cite this article

Abstract

BOVINE abortion is a major cause of economic loss to the dairy industry in the United States and elsewhere; estimates suggest that from 1.5 to 5.5% of all dairy cattle pregnancies terminate in abortions, the cause of which is largely unknown1–3. Many causes of bovine abortion are recognized4 and diagnostic methods are well established, but in most laboratories only 20 to 30% of these abortions are diagnosed1–7. We report here the results of investigations of the possibility that feed contaminated with mycotoxin is a cause of previously undiagnosed bovine abortion. Recognized diagnostic procedures revealed the causes of twenty-six8 out of fifty nonselected cases of bovine abortion referred to the Wisconsin State Animal Health Laboratory. Feed from the remaining farms was collected, dried, ground and fed to pregnant rats and rabbits to establish a possible relationship between feed and abortion. Feeds from several such herds induced foetal death and resorption in the test animals.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Pathology,

    P. E. STILL

  2. Department of Veterinary Science,

    A. W. MACKLIN & W. E. RIBELIN

  3. Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706

    E. B. SMALLEY

Authors
  1. P. E. STILL
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  2. A. W. MACKLIN
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  3. W. E. RIBELIN
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  4. E. B. SMALLEY
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STILL, P., MACKLIN, A., RIBELIN, W. et al. Relationship of Ochratoxin A to Foetal Death in Laboratory and Domestic Animals. Nature 234, 563–564 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/234563a0

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