SPENT CANOLA OIL BLEACHING CLAYS: POTENTIAL FOR TREATMENT OF T-2 TOXICOSIS IN RATS AND SHORT-TERM INCLUSION IN DIETS FOR IMMATURE SWINE

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to determine the potential for spent vegetable oil bleaching clays to overcome growth depression and feed refusal caused by T-2 toxin, a Fusarium trichothecene mycotoxin. Rats were fed spent canola oil bleaching clays at 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% of the diet with and without 3 mg T-2 toxin per kilogram of feed. The bleaching clays largely overcame depressions in body weight and feed consumption caused by T-2 toxin over the 2-wk experiment. Feeding defatted clay at levels corresponding to the levels fed in the first experiment produced similar results while feeding residual oil had very little effect. Feeding spent bentonite produced the same results except that the residual oils were slightly more effective at overcoming T-2 toxicosis than the residual canola oil. Rats were than fed the same levels of spent canola oil bleaching clays for 2 wk and were orally dosed with [3H] T-2 toxin. The fraction of the dose excreted in feces rose consistently with the level of spent canola oil bleaching clays but these increases were not statistically significant. In a final experiment, 48 barrows were fed 0, 5 and 10% spent canola oil bleaching clays for 17 days. Growth and feed consumption were not affected by the level fed. It was concluded that spent canola oil bleaching clays can be used to lessen feed refusal due to T-2 toxin in rat diets. This produce can also be fed to growing swine for short periods without affecting performance. Key words: Rats, swine, T-2 toxin, canola oil, bentonite, clay