They care about Dead Deer---but not sick people

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Dead deer linked to mold in corn

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Wednesday, December 9, 2009

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Dead deer found in corn fields near Wee Town and Vergas have been

linked to mold in corn. However, much of the mold in Otter Tail County

is not highly toxic.

Some experts say that dead deer in corn fields may, in fact, be the

result of not only deer eating corn but also the deer not getting

enough forage in their diets. Many white-tailed deer diets revolve

around an alfalfa forage base.

“No matter what the cause, we want to know about dead deer that are

found,†said Don Schultz, Area Wildlife Supervisor for the Minnesota

Department of Natural Resources (DNR), based in Fergus Falls.

Schultz said he’s heard from farmers in the Foxhome area about blue and green

mold in corn, not highly toxic.

Health officials throughout the state say that it’s the red or pink

mold that’s toxic. Corn must contain aflatoxin in order to be

considered deadly to humans or animals

Across the state border, to the west, 60 dead deer were reported in fields in

north central North Dakota.

Thus far the Federal Grain Inspection in North Dakota has not found

any corn that actually contains aflatoxin. This (aflatoxin) refers to

any group of toxic compounds produced by certain molds, especially

Aspergillus flavus. Many strains produce significant quantities of

acutely toxic compounds.

The mold that’s oftentimes showing up in parts of Minnesota and

North Dakota is surface mold. Most, if not all of it, comes off when

combined and/or dried.

Some state officials say that many dead deer in corn fields comes

about because the deer — while not getting any forage mixed in with

their diets — causes them to basically purge themselves with corn and

eat themselves to death.

http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2009/dec/09/dead-deer-linked-mold-corn/