Volume 16, Issue 4 (12-2025)
Res Anim Prod 2025, 16(4): 148-163 |
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Abdollahi A, Kheirabadi S, Latifi M, Mirseied P S. (2025). The Comparative Effect of two Toxin Binders on the Growth performance, Liver Health, Intestinal Morphology, and Serum Parameters of Broiler Chickens. Res Anim Prod. 16(4), 148-163. doi:10.61882/rap.2025.1510
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1510-en.html
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1510-en.html
1- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
2- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
3- Protein Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
3- Protein Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (1172 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: Mycotoxins are secondary and toxic metabolites produced by filamentous fungi, , which will have harmful effects on the health of animals, birds, and humans by contaminating human and animal feed. Mycotoxins are present in many livestock and poultry feeds, such as grains, and their contamination is inevitable, especially in humid conditions. Consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated feed leads to reduced nutrient absorption, performance, weakening of the immune system, liver failure, increased susceptibility to diseases, and economic losses in the poultry industry. Controlling mycotoxin pollution requires economical detoxification methods. Today, the most common and widely used method in the poultry industry to control and treat mycotoxicosis is to add mycotoxin absorbents (toxin binders) to feed, which simply remove mycotoxins from the body and the digestive system, and finally they are excreted with feces. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate and compare the effectiveness of two different products, one with a new formulation and the other a commercial toxin binder available in the market to reduce the effects of mycotoxins on performance, biochemical parameters of blood serum, internal organs, ileum microbiome population, intestinal morphology and liver histopathology in broiler chickens.
Methods: The experiment was conducted in 42 days during three rearing periods of 1-10, 11-23, and 24-42 days of age. To carry out the experiment, a total of 360 one-day-old male broilers of the Ross 308 strain were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and six replications (15 chickens per replication). The experimental diets were formulated based on the Ross broiler nutrient requirements guide (2019), which included 1) a control diet (CON), 2) a mycotoxin-contaminated diet (MYC), 3) a mycotoxin-contaminated diet + 0.2% new toxin binder (MYC + NToxiB), and 4) a mycotoxin-contaminated diet + 0.2% commercial binder toxin (MYC + CToxiB). To prepare the contaminated corn, water was added to ground corn such that its moisture content reached 20% and was then kept at 25-28 °C and a humidity of 65-80% until clearly observing mold growth. Finally, the corn contaminated with mycotoxins was dried in air. To prepare contaminated diets with mycotoxins, half of corn in the diets was replaced with contaminated corn. Feed and water were fed freely, and feed was fed in the form of flour.
Results: Adding mycotoxin-contaminated corn to the feedstuff of broiler chickens significantly reduced the average body weight at 24 and 42 days of age, and reduced body weight gain at the ages of 24-42 and 1-42 days. The contaminated diet with no toxin binder reduced average feed intake at the age of 24-42 days, and a significant increase in the feed conversion ratio was observed at the ages of 1-10, 24-42, and 1-42 days (P ≤ 0.05). The addition of contaminated corn to the feed caused a significant increase in serum ALT, ALP, and CRP compared to the control and the other experimental treatments (P ≤ 0.05). However, the effect of experimental groups was not significant on total protein, albumin, cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose concentrations of serum. The relative weight of the internal organs was not affected by different treatments, except for the weights of liver, heart, and bursa of Fabricius, which increased in the chicks fed by the contaminated feed. The weights of these organs did not differ in the groups that received the toxin binder compare to the control. Liver tissue lesions and decomposition were observed in the liver sections of chickens fed with mycotoxin-contaminated feed. Feeding the contaminated diet to broiler chicks caused a significant increase in coliform bacteria count compared to the control and the other experimental treatments (P ≤ 0.05) but lactic acid bacteria were not affected. Contaminated corn addition to the feed of broilers significantly decreased the health status of intestinal villus (P ≤ 0.05). As a result, mycotoxin-contaminated feed decreased the villus height of the duodenum and jejunum, decreased the villus surface area of the jejunum and ileum, and increased crypt depth in the duodenum and ileum (P ≤ 0.05).
Conclusion: While the consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated diet by broilers decreased growth performance and their health, the addition of both types of toxin binders to the contaminated diet reduced the adverse effects of mycotoxins and improved performance, liver health, and intestine morphology. Moreover, this modification adjusted the ileum microbial population of broiler chickens. However, the new toxin binder showed better effects in changing some parameters, including improving feed intake, the feed conversion ratio, and liver enzyme activity.
Background: Mycotoxins are secondary and toxic metabolites produced by filamentous fungi, , which will have harmful effects on the health of animals, birds, and humans by contaminating human and animal feed. Mycotoxins are present in many livestock and poultry feeds, such as grains, and their contamination is inevitable, especially in humid conditions. Consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated feed leads to reduced nutrient absorption, performance, weakening of the immune system, liver failure, increased susceptibility to diseases, and economic losses in the poultry industry. Controlling mycotoxin pollution requires economical detoxification methods. Today, the most common and widely used method in the poultry industry to control and treat mycotoxicosis is to add mycotoxin absorbents (toxin binders) to feed, which simply remove mycotoxins from the body and the digestive system, and finally they are excreted with feces. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate and compare the effectiveness of two different products, one with a new formulation and the other a commercial toxin binder available in the market to reduce the effects of mycotoxins on performance, biochemical parameters of blood serum, internal organs, ileum microbiome population, intestinal morphology and liver histopathology in broiler chickens.
Methods: The experiment was conducted in 42 days during three rearing periods of 1-10, 11-23, and 24-42 days of age. To carry out the experiment, a total of 360 one-day-old male broilers of the Ross 308 strain were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and six replications (15 chickens per replication). The experimental diets were formulated based on the Ross broiler nutrient requirements guide (2019), which included 1) a control diet (CON), 2) a mycotoxin-contaminated diet (MYC), 3) a mycotoxin-contaminated diet + 0.2% new toxin binder (MYC + NToxiB), and 4) a mycotoxin-contaminated diet + 0.2% commercial binder toxin (MYC + CToxiB). To prepare the contaminated corn, water was added to ground corn such that its moisture content reached 20% and was then kept at 25-28 °C and a humidity of 65-80% until clearly observing mold growth. Finally, the corn contaminated with mycotoxins was dried in air. To prepare contaminated diets with mycotoxins, half of corn in the diets was replaced with contaminated corn. Feed and water were fed freely, and feed was fed in the form of flour.
Results: Adding mycotoxin-contaminated corn to the feedstuff of broiler chickens significantly reduced the average body weight at 24 and 42 days of age, and reduced body weight gain at the ages of 24-42 and 1-42 days. The contaminated diet with no toxin binder reduced average feed intake at the age of 24-42 days, and a significant increase in the feed conversion ratio was observed at the ages of 1-10, 24-42, and 1-42 days (P ≤ 0.05). The addition of contaminated corn to the feed caused a significant increase in serum ALT, ALP, and CRP compared to the control and the other experimental treatments (P ≤ 0.05). However, the effect of experimental groups was not significant on total protein, albumin, cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose concentrations of serum. The relative weight of the internal organs was not affected by different treatments, except for the weights of liver, heart, and bursa of Fabricius, which increased in the chicks fed by the contaminated feed. The weights of these organs did not differ in the groups that received the toxin binder compare to the control. Liver tissue lesions and decomposition were observed in the liver sections of chickens fed with mycotoxin-contaminated feed. Feeding the contaminated diet to broiler chicks caused a significant increase in coliform bacteria count compared to the control and the other experimental treatments (P ≤ 0.05) but lactic acid bacteria were not affected. Contaminated corn addition to the feed of broilers significantly decreased the health status of intestinal villus (P ≤ 0.05). As a result, mycotoxin-contaminated feed decreased the villus height of the duodenum and jejunum, decreased the villus surface area of the jejunum and ileum, and increased crypt depth in the duodenum and ileum (P ≤ 0.05).
Conclusion: While the consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated diet by broilers decreased growth performance and their health, the addition of both types of toxin binders to the contaminated diet reduced the adverse effects of mycotoxins and improved performance, liver health, and intestine morphology. Moreover, this modification adjusted the ileum microbial population of broiler chickens. However, the new toxin binder showed better effects in changing some parameters, including improving feed intake, the feed conversion ratio, and liver enzyme activity.
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