Short-term implications of zearalenone on the rumen

Mycotoxins represent common contaminants in ruminant diets with zearalenone being one of the most prominent mycotoxins impairing the rumen ecosystem and host fertility in chronically exposed cattle. However, little is known about the short-term effects of zearalenone on the rumen ecosystem. Therefore, the present study investigated the short-term impact of this mycotoxin on the microbial community in the rumen of dry Holstein cows fed a forage-dominated diet.