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Background. Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites, which are synthesized from a large number of intermediates from the primary metabolism of saprophytic molds. Aflatoxins, due to their genotoxic and carcinogenic effects, are the most important group of mycotoxins from the aspect of their impact on human and animal health. Of all known aflatoxins, AFB1 is the most frequent, with the most harmful impact on human and animal health. Scope and Approach. Due to their prevalence and toxicity, monitoring the presence of aflatoxins in the food chain is required. The scope of this paper is to provide information on the presence of aflatoxins in animal feed and in milk. This paper describes temperature increases in Europe that are contributing to the increased presence of aflatoxins in food, as well as aflatoxin prevention and protection measures. Key Findings and Conclusions. During the last decade, serious contamination of corn with aflatoxins was recorded in southern Europe. In the summer of 2012, Serbia recorded high concentrations of aflatoxins in corn and milk. Based on climate change data, it is expected that aflatoxin contamination in corn will become more frequent. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 31034]

Animal food has to incorporate multiple objectives, ie. it should provide good animal health, good production and reproductive performance, reduce pollution of the environment as well as have the impact on food of animal origin, by supplying it, in addition to basic nutrients, with certain useful substances that can act preventively on the occurrence of various diseases in humans in modern living conditions. This complex task implies the application of scientific knowledge concerning biotechnology in the field of animal feed production, and also includes the use of specific nutrients that are the result of the latest developments in specific disciplines such as molecular biology and genetic engineering. As a result of researches in these areas there were created some varieties of cereals and legumes with improved nutritional properties. On the other hand, obtaining a safe food of animal origin product imposes the use of substances of natural origin (such as probiotics, prebiotics, phytobiotics, enzymes, chelating forms ..), which provide better digestibility and more complete utilization of certain nutrients from the feedstuff. In this way, the quantity of undigested substances are significantly reduced as well as soil and the atmosphere pollution. The use of specific additives in animal nutrition resulting from biotechnological research is most frequent when a problem concerning certain level of production or animal health has to be overcome. This implies a group of non-nutritional ingredients which are aimed to regulate the digestive tract microflora, pH, weight gain, as well as to modify metabolic processes etc.

Phytogene feed additives (phytobiotics) are plant origin compounds used in animal nutrition in order to improve their productivity by improving the production performance of animals, feed properties and the quality of food of animal origin. These additives stimulate animal growth by using their natural and physiological potentials and mechanisms providing conditions for the realization of the genetically projected production volumes. Data on the use of phytobiotics as growth stimulators are incomplete and often very contradictory, especially those related to their impact on the health and performance of weaned pigs. Given the relevance and importance of these issues the feeding trial was organized by the group-control system. The experiment lasted for 40 days and it was divided into two phases of 20 days each. Trial was conducted on 24 piglets, F1 generation of Swedish Landrace and Pietrain, weaned from sows at the age of 35 days. Tests were carried out on piglets, with an average body weight of 8.61±1.59 kg, which were subjected to one of the two feeding treatments immediately after weaning. The control group was fed with a mixture without growth promoters, while the experimental group received a diet containing preparation of phytobiotic (Enviva EO 101, Danisco Animal Nutrition) in the amount recommended by the manufacturer (0.1 kg/t). The mixtures for piglets nutrition were formulated in accordance with the recommendations of the NRC (1998), and AEC (1993) and they met the nutritional requirements completely. During the experiment, there was no disturbance of health and/or the manifestation of clinical signs of disease. The control group, fed with the diet without added growth stimulators, achieved body weight (25.32±6.31 kg), average daily gain (0.42±0.12 kg), consumption (0.89 kg) and feed conversion (2.119 ) normal for a given race, age and housing conditions. The use of preparation of phytobiotics as growth promoters, led to better production results in regard to the control group, which was based on higher body weight (27.19±4.77 kg), higher average daily gain (0.46±0.09 kg) and better feed conversion (2.043). The use of phytobiotic, as an alternative option in growth stimulation of weaned pigs, has its nutritive, medical and economic justification.

In this paper we studied the effect of apple aroma as a food additive in a concentration of 0.04% on performance and reduction of fur chewing and basic production parameters. During the experimental period (30 days), the experimental group of chinchillas that was fed with the pellet mixture with the addition of the aroma showed a statistically significant decrease in fur chewing (p

The aim of this paper was to determine how forage triticale in diets for fattening broilers influence the body weight and weight gain of broiler chickens for fattening. The survey was conducted on 400 chickens for fattening provenance Ross 308 for a period of 42 days. On this occasion, four groups of chickens were formed, with 100 chickens being treated in each group, as follows: K (classic mixture for fattening broilers) and O-I (mixtures with triticale variety Kg 20), O-II (mixtures with triticale Favorit) and O-III group (mixtures with triticale Trijumf). The highest average body mass in the groups of chickens (male, female and chicks of both sexes), was scored by broiler chickens of O-II-group. The minimum food consumption for 42-day-old chicks was achieved by group O-I (4.275 kg), and the most by O-II group (4.359 kg). Chickens of O-II- and III-O-group had the best feed conversion, while the chickens of O-I-group had a slightly poorer feed conversion. The mortality of the groups of chickens for the entire period of the study was the lowest in O-II-group, at 2.0%, and the highest mortality was found in O-III-group (6.0%). The production index was the highest in O-II-group (202.726) and the lowest in O-I-group. The results achieved in this research indicate that the use of tested triticale cultivars significantly affected the weight gain and body mass of chicks and have nutritional and economic justification. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 31033]

Intensive pig breeding implies, among other things, the use of complete mixes in their diet in correspondence with the animals’ age and purpose. In the course of a threeyear period (2007-2009) the accredited laboratory of the Department for Nutrition and Botanics of the Faculty for Veterinary Medicine, Univerisity of Belgrade, analysed 65 fodder mix samples from the territory of Serbia intended for the diet of all categories of pigs, namely: 6 samples of complete mixes for the diet of pregnant sows and gilts, 9 samples of complete mixes for the diet of nursing sows and boar, 4 samples of complete mixes for enhanced diet of piglets, 13 samples of complete mixes for piglets in programme I up to 15 kg, 12 samples of complete mixes for piglets in programme II from 15-25 kg, 10 samples of complete mixes for growing pigs in fattening programme I from 25-60 kg, and 11 samples of complete mixes for pigs in fattening programme II from 60-100 kg. The analyses covered the contents of the elementary nutritive matter and the obtained results were compared with the quality conditions prescribed under the Regulations on the quality of animal feed (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 41/09). It was established that there were certain deviations with regard to the values presented in the Regulations on the quality of animal feed (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 41/09) in the average protein content in complete mixes for piglet diet II, 15-25 kg (17.89±1.19%) and in the mixes for growing pig diet II, 60-100 kg (13.95±0.53%). The established average fat content was lower in the mixes for enhanced piglet diet (5.99± 0.72%) and in mixes for piglet diet I, up to 15 kg (4.95±1.41%). A higher average cellulose content (4.08±0.73%) was established in mixes for enhanced piglet diet. Furthermore, significant differences from the values prescribed under the Regulations were established in certain samples. The established differences in the chemical composition of certain samples of the examined mixes without a doubt indicate the need for constant and multilevel monitoring of raw materials and finished products in order to preserve health and to ensure the best possible utilization of the production potential of animals. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 46002: Molekularno-genetička i ekofiziološka istraživanja u zaštiti autohtonih animalnih genetičkih resursa, očuvanja dobrobiti, zdravlja i reprodukcije gajenih životinja i proizvodnji bezbedne hrane]

Mycotoxins present a significant problem in the diet of pigs. Secondary metabolites of fungi are toxic matter that have a negative effect on health and the performance of animals, as well as on the quality of their products. The creating of mycotosins is a complex process and it is difficult to predict which toxin will be produced and in which concentration. Food is most often contaminated by low concentrations of different mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxins, trichothecenes, fumonisinsi and zearalenone) which cause a series of undesired effects, depending on the amount that the animal has ingested into the organism. Mycotoxin interactions in the organism are complex, and they can have antagonistic, synergistic or a joint effect, depending on the combination and quantity in which they appear. The pig is a domestic animal which is most sensitive to the effects of mycotoxins. Long-term consumption of feed contaminated with mycotoxins results in a decline in production, a deterioration of the general health and reproductive disorders. One of the most important negative effects in pigs which receive low doses of mycotoxins in the longterm, is immunosuppression. Mycotoxins present very stable links that remain in raw materials and animal products for a long time and thus pose a major health risk for humans. .

The use of plant extracts with the objective of improving production results and the quality of food articles of animal origin is an area which is acquiring increasing scientific importance. Numerous investigations carried out so far on ruminants and other species of domestic animals have been aimed at examining specific bioactive matter of plants. The results of these investigations have demonstrated a positive influence on the production results. A large number of data indicate that plant extracts added to animal feed contribute to increasing overall productivity. Furthermore, plant extracts as additives in animal feed have a positive effect also on the health condition of the animals. A large number of plants have characteristics which potentially improve consumption, digestibility and conversion of food, and also growth. Examinations have been performed of the effects of different plant extracts on food consumption, wool growth, growth and composition of the trunk, milk production, reproductive parameters, agents for wool shearing, preventing bloat, methane production, as well as the influence of plants on curbing nematode infestations of ruminants. This work presents a review of scientific investigations of different plant species and their effects on the production characteristics of ruminants. .

Over a period of five years (2005-2009), the laboratory of the Department for Nutrition and Botanic analyzed 22 samples of mixes from the territory of Serbia, intended for the diet of two categories of cattle (fattening calves I and dairy cows with over 20 liters of milk). The analysis was performed using standard methods, and the obtained results were compared with the quality conditions prescribed under the Regulations on quality and other requirements for animal feed (SRY Official Gazette numbers 20/00 and 38/01). Intensive breeding of cattle implies the use of concentrated mixes for all categories which are adapted to the age and purpose of maintenance of the animals. The mixes are products of the animal food industry, and they are obtained through an established technological procedure using the required raw materials. The inadequate quality of raw materials causes problems involving the quality of the finished products, so that strict adherence to the established recipes does not necessary result in a satisfactory quality of the mixes. All of the above imposes the need for the constant monitoring of the nutritive value of the mixes, and consequently also of their quality. On the grounds of the analysis of the presence of the elementary nutritive matter, no significant differences were established with regard to the prescribed quantity of nutritive matter, so that the use of the examined mixes in the diets of the respective categories of cattle can be expected to yield satisfactory production results. .

All mineral matter, essential or non-essential, can have a significant influence on production results and the health of animals, if large quantities of them are present in a feed ration. A maximally tolerant content depends on the animal specie and category. Many factors, such as physiological status (growth, lactation, etc.), nutritive status, content and ratio of nutritive matter in the ration, duration of exposure, and the biological level of utilization of elements, also affect the maximally tolerant content of mineral matter in feed. The content of certain mineral matter in plant feed significantly depends on the soil factor, as well as the content and level of utilization of mineral matter from the soil. Mn, Se and Mo can be present in plant feed in such quantities as to induce toxicosis. Industrial contaminants, Cd, Pb or F, can contaminate plants, in particular their leaves, in quantities which lead to the appearance of clinical signs of conventional toxicosis. Moreover, natural water can contain large quantities of S, F, Na, Mg, or Fe, and certain mineral matter can get into water through industrial waste. In addition to the above, it is possible to cause unwanted effects through the frequent, but primarily unprofessional use of mineral additives, since it is extremely important, besides meeting the mineral requirements of each individual element, to secure a ratio among the mineral matter themselves as well as with other nutritive matter. Mineral matter present in food are in mutual interference, and these relations can be synergistic or antagonistic. The sufficiency of a large number of mineral matter has a negative effect on the utilization of other matter (conditional and/or border deficiency), while certain elements cause the clinical appearance of toxic effects. The accidental intake of large quantities of certain mineral matter is revealed as clinical signs of acute toxicosis, which is very different from chronic effects caused by the intake of increased quantities of mineral matter over a longer time period.

To attain better feed utilization, longer preservation, easier manipultion and higher production and better quality of food of animal orgin as the final goal, besides raw materials, feed mixes contain numerous pronutrients (additives), added to perform different effects, in a narrower sense, the term pronutrient implies heterogenous substances, which have no diverse effects and have to be efficient in the manner of use. Basically, all pronutrients have to reach the goal of keeping optimal animal health status and to increase production of food of animal origin without adverse and negative effects. The development of biotechnology had a great part in the appearance of natural alternatives which are able to fulfil and satisfy the high demands of highly productive animals, as well as those of the consumer lobby and environmental protection movements. Growth promoters based upon physiological mechanisms and production potential of the animal have an unquestionable adventage, not only because of the lack of residues in food of animal origin; but also because of their ecological safety and decrease of envirnomental pollution by undigested materials. Demand continues to grow for "all natural", non-pharmaceutical feed additives with growth enhancing effects in food animals. Special attention is paid to minerals (anorganic and organic sources), growth stimulators (antibiotics, probiotics prebiotics), substances for better feed utilization (enzymes, acidifers) adsorbents.