Abstract
ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of esterified glucomannan (E-GM) on performance, immunity, blood haematological and serum biochemical parameters in broilers exposed to diets naturally contaminated with mycotoxins. A total of 630 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to 9 treatments and 5 replicates of 14 chicks based on factorial (3 × 3) arrangement in completely randomized design. The dietary treatments included 3 levels of substituting naturally contaminated corn (0%, 50% and 100%), three levels of E-GM (0%, 0.05% and 0.1%) and their interaction. Body weight gains (BWG), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were evaluated from 7 to 49 days of age. Haematology, serum biochemical and enzyme activities were assessed. Antibody titre against Newcastle disease virus and infectious bursal disease was measured to evaluate the humoral immunity. In comparison to diets with no contamination, 50% and 100% naturally contaminated corn significantly decreased FI, BWG and FCR (P < .05). Supplementing 0.05% and 0.1% E-GM considerably improved the decreased BWG and FI (P < .05). However, only 0.1% binder ameliorated the negative impact of mycotoxins on FCR (P < .05). Replacement of contaminated corn remarkably diminished humoral immunity of chickens and increased liver enzyme activities which ameliorated by supplementing 0.05% and 0.1% of binder inclusion (P < .05). Results indicated that supplementing E-GM particularly at 0.1% level efficiently reversed the adverse effects of mycotoxins on broiler chickens.
Highlights
Mycotoxins are known as the secondary fungal metabolites that widely occur in animal feed and foods (Zhang & Caupert 2012)
It was found that aflatoxin was the major contaminant and after that, DON was the second and eventually OTA presented as a minor contaminant
An increase in White blood cells (WBC) and heterophile counts in the present study shows that aflatoxin may elicit an inflammatory response in the chickens as Kececi et al (1998) observed by 2.5 mg/kg aflatoxin application into diet
Summary
Mycotoxins are known as the secondary fungal metabolites that widely occur in animal feed and foods (Zhang & Caupert 2012). Chronic mycotoxicosis resulted from minor levels of mycotoxin exposure, not necessarily occur accompanied by clinical symptoms. These chronic impacts affect animals’ performance and immunity as well as increase toxin residues in poultry meat and egg (Resanović et al 2009; Liu et al 2011). OTA is a mycotoxin with adverse effect on production and health of poultry (Aravind et al 2003). Consumption of mycotoxins in combination with other toxins may show greater synergism effects on broilers and damage the productivity of chickens (Raju & Devegowda 2000)
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