Evaluation of the ability of adsorbents to ameliorate the adverse effects of aflatoxin B1 in broiler chickens

Abstract

A study was carried out to investigate the efficacy of diatomaceous earth (DE), sodium bentonite (SB) and zeolite
(Z), alone or in combinations as aflatoxin adsorbents in the diets of broiler chickens containing 300 ppb aflatoxin B1
(AFB1). Day-old broiler chicks (384) were divided into 12 treatment groups (T1, control; T2, T1 + 300 ppb AFB1; T3, T2
+ 0.5% DE; T4, T2 + 1% DE; T5, T2 + 0.5% SB; T6, T2 + 1% SB; T7, T2 + 0.5% DE +0.5% SB; T8, T2 + 0.5% Z; T9, T2
+ 1% Z; T10, T2 + 0.5% Z + 0.5% DE; T11, T2 + 0.5% Z + 0.5% SB; T12,T2 +[Z+DE+SB (0.33% each)]. Each diet was
offered from day-old to 42 days of age to 4 replicated groups of 8 birds each. Feeding diet with 300 ppb of AFB1 in diet
caused significant decrease in body weight gain (BWG 1168g) as compared to control (1 429 g). Inclusion of all the
binders in aflatoxin contaminated diet, alone or in combinations, improved the overall BWG (1 290 to 1 389 g/bird),
however, significantly lower BWG was recorded in DE groups in comparison to other binders during 0–6 weeks growth
period. The BWG did not differ between zeolites and sodium bentonite groups. Feed consumption was not affected
during the first week of age but reduced thereafter on diet with 300 ppb level of dietary AFB1. Amongst the binder
groups, feed consumption was lowest in DE fed groups. Addition of aflatoxin resulted in poor feed conversion, energy
and protein efficiency, which partially improved on inclusions of binders at any levels, alone or in combination. Thus,
it may be concluded that addition of 300 ppb AFB1 in the diet of broiler chickens impaired the performance of broiler
chickens during 0–6 weeks of age. All the 3 binders at 0.5 or 1% level, alone or in combination, were partially efficacious
in ameliorating the adverse effects of aflatoxin. Among the binders tested, diatomaceous earth appeared to be the least
efficacious in ameliorating aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens.