Evaluation of three mycotoxin binders to prevent the adverse effects of aflatoxin B1 in growing broilers

Javad Pourreza,Hasan Nazarizadeh

doi:10.1080/09712119.2019.1584106

Javad Pourreza, Hasan Nazarizadeh

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/09712119.2019.1584106

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Aflatoxins are a major problem in poultry production and are significant economic and public health burdens worldwide. Three commercial mycotoxin binders (TXB) were used to determine their efficacy in preventing the toxic effects of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on broiler productivity, biochemical and hematological parameters, and liver function. A total of 600 day-old broilers were randomly allotted to 12 treatments in a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement with 3 levels of AFB1 (0, 2, and 4 µg/g) and 4 TXB (no toxin binder, 1.0 g/kg Mycosorb, 1.0 g/kg Formycin, and 20.0 g/kg Anzymit) with 5 replicates of 10 chicks each per treatment. Results indicated that AFB1, in comparison with the control, caused a significant decrease in feed intake, weight gain, feed efficiency, and hematological values. Serum proteins (globulin, albumin, and total protein) and serum Ca and P concentrations followed the same pattern. Relative weights of the heart, gizzard and liver, and AST activity in serum were increased in a dose-dependent manner, but ALT activity was not statistically affected by AFB1. Adding TXB to the AFB1 contaminated diet increased weight gain, feed efficiency, hematological values and serum proteins. The commercial mycotoxin binders decreased AST and ALT activities, but did not have a significant effect on the relative organs weight and serum Ca and P concentrations. Neither AFB1 nor commercial toxin binders affected total cholesterol, LDL, or HDL in this study. It was concluded that the addition of the commercial toxin binders to the AFB1 containing diets reduced the adverse effects of AFB1 and could be helpful as a solution to the aflatoxicosis problem in young broiler chicks.

Highlights

Food and feeds have been seriously contaminated with mycotoxins among which aflatoxin, zearalenone, fumonisin, deoxynivalenol, and ochratoxin are the most commonly found (Qu et al 2017)
The average daily feed intake (ADFI) was not affected by toxin binders, but mycotoxin binders (TXB) significantly improved FCR
This study evaluated the efficacy of three commercial toxin binders to partially or totally eliminate the toxic effects of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on growth performance, organ weights, hematological values, and serum components of young broiler chicks

Summary

Introduction

Food and feeds have been seriously contaminated with mycotoxins among which aflatoxin, zearalenone, fumonisin, deoxynivalenol, and ochratoxin are the most commonly found (Qu et al 2017). Food and feeds are frequently co-contaminated with two or more mycotoxins, and their interactions may exert additive or synergistic effects (Resanovic and Sinovec 2006). The consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated food and feeds leads to reduced nutrient absorption (Verma et al 2004), poor performance, immunosuppression (Richard 2007), residues in animal products (Qu et al 2017), and increased susceptibility to infectious and parasitic diseases (Ma et al 2015), and cause serious reproductive problems leading to economic losses in the poultry industry (Wade et al 2017), resulting in a massive economic impact worldwide on human health, animal health, and agricultural trade. Changes in gene expression of liver enzymes, and changes in intestinal morphology and function have been reported (Ma et al 2015; Qu et al 2017)

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