Research: Mycotoxin inactivators in broiler diets

Two in vivo trials were performed to assess the efficacy of mycotoxin inactivators in broiler diets.

 

Trial 1: The impact of Ochratoxin A on performance on performance parameters in broilers. A trial with 42 broilers was conducted by ‘Instituto Internacional de Investigación Animal’, Queretaro, Mexico (2010).

 

The broilers were divided into 3 treatment groups of 14 birds each, the trial period was 33 days (d5 – d38). Sorghum based diets with and without Ochratoxin A (2ppm) contamination were used as treatment.

 

The three treatments were

–          a control diet (T1),

–          a diet contaminated with 2 ppm Ochratoxin A (T2) and

–          a diet contaminated with 2 ppm Ochratoxin A + addition of a mycotoxin inactivator (Unike TP, based on yeast and clay minerals) at 3kg/ton (T3).

Bodyweight and feed conversion (FCR) were measured.

 

Trial 2: Efficacy of a mycotoxin inactivator (Unike Plus, based on botanicals, yeast and clay minerals) at 1kg/ton in counteracting the negative effects caused by naturally contaminated Vomitoxin (12.2 and 13.3 ppm) corn on performance of broilers.

 

150 one-day-old Cobb broilers were placed into 30 battery cages (5 broilers/cage) during a trial period of 42 days. At 28 days of age 2 replications from each of the treatments were removed. Body weight, average daily feed intake, average daily gain and FCR were measured.

 

The evaluated parameters indicated that mycotoxins caused negative effects on the performance of broilers in both trials.

Table 1 shows the results of trial 1, the influence of Ochratoxin A on performance in broilers and the efficacy of a mycotoxin inactivator to reduce these negative effects.

 

Table 1 – Effect of mycotoxin inactivator on broiler performance in Ochratoxin A contaminated diets.

	Control	Ochratoxin A (2ppm)	Ochratoxin A (2ppm) + Unike TP (3 kg/ton)
Total weight gain (g)	1,868	999	1,266
Feed intake (g/bird/d)	106a	86b	83b
FCR	1.88a	2.85b	2.17a

^a,b differ significantly (p<0.05)

 

The dietary inclusion of Ochratoxin A (T2) shows a reduction in total weight gain and feed consumption and an increased FCR compared to the control group. In group T3 the addition of the mycotoxin inactivator at 3 kg/ton improved the measured parameters total weight gain and FCR.

 

In trial 2 Vomitoxin in the diets of the broilers showed negative effects on the performance, the average daily feed intake and average daily gain were decreased. Also an increased FCR was measured. When a mycotoxin inactivator is supplemented to diets with Vomitoxin contamination an improvement of the measured parameters is observed.

 

Table 2 – Efficacy of a mycotoxin inactivator in broiler diets contaminated with Vomitoxin

	Average daily feed intake (g/day)	Average daily gain (g/day)	FCR
1-14 days
Negative control	32.6	25.8	1.26
Positive control	31.0	25.4	1.22
Vomitoxin + Unike Plus	31.0	25.7	1.20
14-28 days
Negative control	104.7	64.2	1.63
Positive control	94.5	60.5	1.56
Vomitoxin + Unike Plus	99.3	62.2	1.60
28-42 days
Negative control	137.9	92.0	1.87
Positive control	127.9	81.2	1.99
Vomitoxin + Unike Plus	133.4	88.4	1.88

 

Based on the results of the trials it can be concluded that mycotoxin inactivators used in the experiment is effective and counteracting the negative effects of mycotoxin contamination in broilers.