Evaluation of the Efficacy of Feed Additives to Counteract the Toxic Effects of Aflatoxicosis in Broiler Chickens

Wafaa A Abd El-Ghany,M Ismail,M.E Hatem

doi:10.19026/ijava.5.5594

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate (HSCAS) and a phytobiotic (turmeric powder) to counteract the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 in broiler chickens. Five hundred, day-old broiler chicks were divided equally into five groups. Birds of group (1) were fed on plain ration containing neither aflatoxin B1 nor treatment, while birds in groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were fed on ration contaminated with aflatoxin B1 at concentration of 2.5 ppm of ration from day old till the end of the experiment. Chickens in group (2) were given ration contaminated with aflatoxin B1 only. Group (3) was treated with HSCAS at a concentration of 0.5%, while group (4) was fed on ration containing turmeric powder in a dose of 80 mg/kg of the ration. Chickens in group (5) were given concomitant HSCAS and turmeric powder at the recommended doses. All groups were kept under observation till 5 weeks of age. The results cleared that treatment of aflatoxicated birds either with HSCAS or turmeric powder even their combination induced protection from the development of signs and lesions with significant (p<0.05) improvement of performance when compared with un-treated control group. Both HSCAS and turmeric powder treatment induced significant (p<0.05) amelioration of the measured organs body weights ratio, humoral immune response to Newcastle Disease (ND) and biochemical parameters in aflatoxicated chickens. In conclusion, addition of HSCAS and or turmeric powder can be considered an integrated approach for the control of aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens.

Highlights

Aflatoxin, a class of mycotoxins which is ubiquitous in nature and continually encountered in feed ingredients (Manafi et al, 2009b)
Aflatoxin B1 is the predominant and the major fungal toxin which is attributed to induction of potential problems in livestock feeds (Nilipour, 2002)
It was found that adsorbents have limited efficacy against some mycotoxins, need to be incorporated at high levels and can have side effects on some dietary nutrients, reducing the nutritional value of animal diets and they may contain dioxins and heavy metals, which is a huge limit for their use as feed additive (Jouany et al, 2005)

Summary

Introduction

A class of mycotoxins which is ubiquitous in nature and continually encountered in feed ingredients (Manafi et al, 2009b). *: Means with different superscripts are significantly different (p≤0.05); AFB1: Aflatoxin B1 contaminated ration (2.5 ppm); HSCAS: Hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (5 g/kg ration); TP: Tumeric powder (80 mg/kg ration) weight in this study accords with Huff and Doerr (1981) who postulated that direct exposure of digestive organs to cytotoxins of aflatoxins during digestion process resulting in this response, while Hoerr et al (1982) attributed this increase in weight to irritation properties of mycotoxins by direct contact with organs of upper alimentary tract.

Results

Conclusion