1. Research Number (3)

2. Evaluation of the Efficacy of Feed Additives to Counteract the Toxic Effects of Aflatoxicosis in broiler Chickens Wafaa A. Abd El-Ghany 1, M.E. Hatem 2, M. Ismail 3 1 Associate Professor, Poultry Diseases Department, Faculty Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt 2 Professor, Microbiology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt 3 Professor of Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicines and Animal Resources, Al-Ahsa Kingdom Saudi Arabia

3. Aim of the work This work was designed to evaluate the efficacy of certain feed additives containing hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) as well as a phytobiotic (turmeric powder) (TP) either singly or in combination to counteract the adverse toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 in broiler chickens.

4. Experimental design Five hundred, day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into 5 equal groups (1-5) of 100 birds assigned to 2 replicates of 50 each. Birds of group (1) were fed on plain ration containing neither aflatoxin B1 nor treatment (blank control negative), while birds in groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were fed on ration contaminated with aflatoxin B1 from day old till the end of the experiment (5 weeks). Chickens in group (2) were given ration contaminated with aflatoxin B1 only (2.5 ppm) (control positive). Group (3) was treated with HSCAS (5 g/kg ration), while group (4) was fed on ration containing TP (80 mg/kg ration). Chickens in group (5) were given ration containing HSCAS and TP at the recommended doses.

5. Measured parameters Symptoms, mortalities and gross lesions for 5 weeks. Zootechnical performance: Feed conversion rate (FCR) and European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) (weekly). Absolute and Relative organ weight: At 5 weeks of age, 5 birds/group weight and Liver, kidneys, gizzard, spleen, thymus glands and bursae of Fabricus (Absolute and relative organ to Body weight index). Humoral Immunity: HI test against ND vaccine (weekly).

6. Measured parameters Serum biochemical variables: Total proteins and albumin [Albumin/ globulin (A/G) ratio]. Urease and creatinine. Apsertate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

7. Results Signs of depression and anorexia in groups fed on aflatoxin B1 contaminated ration. The signs were more less pronounced in treated groups. No deaths were seen in all groups. Sacrificed chickens at 5 weeks old showed enlarged pale friable liver with haemorrhagic patches on the surface, enlarged pale kidneys, reduced size of spleen, thymus glands and bursa of Fabricus and haemorrhages on thigh muscles. The lesion severity deceased in treated groups especially group treated with combined HSCAS and TP.

8. Results Treatment of aflatoxicated birds either with HSCAS or TP even their combination induced significant (P<0.05) improvement of performance when compared with un- treated control group. Both HSCAS and TP treatment either alone or in combination induced significant (P<0.05) amelioration of the measured organs body weights ratio. Humoral immune response to ND vaccine was significantly (P<0.05) enhanced after each group treatment compared with non-treated intoxicated group. A/G ratio, kidneys and liver function tests were significantly (P<0.05) ameliorated in the treated chickens than un-treated aflatoxicated ones.

9. Treatment Body weight/gram Age/Week Cumulative FCR EPEF 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th Blank (Control negative) *113.44±1.2 a 288.56±2.9 a 590.57±4.2 a 996.37±5.5 a 1298.63±6.0 a 1.64± 0.10 a 240.41±7.32 a* AFB 1 (Control positive) 80.54±1.0 b 190.43±2.1 b 301.29±3.3 b 563.19±4.0 b 716.29± 5.3 b 2.61± 0.32 b 68.10 ±1.50 b AFB 1 +HSCAS90.85±1.1 bc 240.78±3.6 c 434.72±3.5 c 871.86±4.2 c 1009.75±6.9 c 2.01± 0.40 c 199.18± 3.74 c AFB 1 +TP95.89± 1.4 c 254.81±2.0 c 456.43±2.6 c 895.61±6.4 c 1107.23±7.9 c 1.91± 0.13 ac 216.85± 5.10 c AFB 1 +Concomit ant HSCAS&TP 114.21± 1.7 a 281.643±2.5 a 585.34±4.7 a 990.71±5.1 a 1200.73±6.0 a 1.71± 0.21 a 233.24± 7.12 a * Means with different superscripts, within age, are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05). AFB 1 : Aflatoxin B 1 contaminated ration (2.5 ppm). HSCAS: Hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (5 g/kg ration). TP: Tumeric powder (80 mg/kg ration) FCR: Feed conversion rate. EPEF: The European production efficiency factor (EPEF). Effect of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate and turmeric powder on zootechnical performance parameters of aflatoxicated broiler chickens.

11. Treatment LiverKidneyGizzardSpleenThymus glandsBursa of Fabricus Absolute Weight Relative Weight Absolute Weight Relative Weight Absolute Weight Relative Weight Absolute Weight Relative Weight Absolute Weight Relative Weight Absolute Weight Relative Weight Blank (Control negative) * 19.15 a ±0.6 1.9 ±0.2 a 8.15 ±0.4 a 0.99 ±0.1 a 22.15 ±0.2 a 3.11 ±0.1 a 0.87 ±0.01 a 0.187 ±0.03 a 2.98 ±0.05 a 0.30 ±0.02 a 2.79 ±0.06 a 0.29 ±0.04 a AFB1 (Control positive) 16.87 ±0.3 c 2.87 ±0.1 c 6.32 ±0.3 c 1.53 ±0.1 d 19.11 ±0.3 c 4.02 ±0.1 b 0.16 ±0.02 b 0.035 ±0.002 b 0.63 ±0.01 b 0.10 ±0.04 b 1.01 ±0.04 b 0.12 ±0.1 b AFB1+HS CAS 13.92 ±0.5 b 2.19 ±0.2 c 5.76 ±0.1 bc 1.0 ±0.4 a 18.20 ±0.1 c 3.23 ±0.1 a 0.29 ±0.02 b 0.065 ±0.01 c 1.09 ±0.02 bc 0.13 ±0.03 b 1.87 ±0.05 c 0.18 ±0.11 c AFB1+TP14.76 ±0.6 bc 1.81 ±0.3 a 5.41 ±0.2 bc 0.60 ±0.2 c 18.64 ±0.1 c 3.02 ±0.2 a 0.56 ±0.01 c 0.086 ±0.01 c 1.87 ±0.03 c 0.20 ±0.05 a 2.05 ±0.01 ac 0.21 ±0.12 a AFB1+Co ncomitant HSCAS& TP 13.54 ±0.4 b 1.44 ±0.2 b 4.97 ±0.2 b 0.23 ±0.3 b 17.98 ±0.0 b 2.95 ±0.1 a 0.78 ±0.03 a 0.110 ±0.02 a 2.76 ±0.04 a 0.29 ±0.01 a 2.57 ±0.07 a 0.25 ±0.01 a * Means with different superscripts are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05). AFB 1 : Aflatoxin B 1 contaminated ration (2.5 ppm). HSCAS: Hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (5 g/kg ration). Effect of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate and turmeric powder on absolute and relative organs weights in aflatoxicated broiler chickens.

12. Treatment HI titers/Age/Week 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th Blank (Control negative) * 5.0 ±0.21 a 4.2±0.20 a 6.8±0.18 a 5.6±0.16 a 6.1±0.11 a AFB 1 (Control positive)2.1±0.50 b 1.98±0.2 b 4.61±0.2 b 3.7±0.17 b 3.9±0.18 b AFB 1 +HSCAS3.2±0.33 bc 2.9±0.27 c 5.9±0.26 a 4.0±0.33 c 5.1±0.36 c AFB 1 +TP4.0±0.24 c 3.8±0.27 a 6.0±0.36 a 4.2±0.20 c 5.7±0.19 a AFB 1 +Concomitant HSCAS&TP 4.8±0.43 a 3.9±0.21 a 6.7±0.23 a 5.1±0.29 a 5.9 ±0.31 a Effect of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate and turmeric powder on haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers against Newcastle disease vaccine in aflatoxicated broiler chickens * Means with different superscripts are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05). AFB 1 : Aflatoxin B 1 contaminated ration (2.5 ppm). HSCAS: Hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (5 g/kg ration). TP: Tumeric powder (80 mg/kg ration)

14. Treatment Serum biochemical variables (5 weeks of age) Total protein Albumin (A) mg/dL Globulin (G) mg/dL A/G ratio Urease (mg/dL) Creatinine (mg/dL) AST (IU/L) ALT (IU/L) Blank (Control negative) *3.46 ±0.05 a 1.53 ±0.03 a 1.93±0.02 a 0.79 ±0.05 ac 15.11 ±0.13 a 0.42±0.03 a 198.17±1.08 a 67.32±3.05 a AFB 1 (Control positive) 1.27±0.07 b 0.67±0.05 b 0.60±0.02 b 1.11±0.02 b 24.31 ±0.10 b 0.84±0.02 b 301.76±1.14 b 102.11±2.39 b AFB 1 +HS CAS 3.40±0.03 a 1.60±0.02 a 1.80±0.01 a 0.88±0.04 c 21.67±0.31 bc 0.71±0.04 c 235.82±1.20 c 75.64±4.11 c AFB 1 +TP 2.81±0.08 c 1.30±0.07 a 1.51±0.01 c 0.86±0.03 c 19.62±0.23 c 0.59±0.06 ac 226.71±1.32 c 70.45±6.01 c AFB 1 +Co ncomitant HSCAS& TP 3.15±0.09 a 1.10±0.06 a 2.05±0.03 a 0.53±0.043 a 16.89±0.14 a 0.46±0.01 a 205.99±0.10 a 60.75±1.68 a * Means with different superscripts are significantly different (P ≤ 0.05). AFB 1 : Aflatoxin B 1 contaminated ration (2.5 ppm). HSCAS: Hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (5 g/kg ration). TP: Tumeric powder (80 mg/kg ration) AST: Aspartate aminotransferase ALT: Alanine aminotransferase Effect of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate and turmeric powder on serum biochemical variables of aflatoxicated broiler chickens.

16. Conclusion Aflatoxin B1 causes severe adverse toxic side effects on broiler chickens; this damage was obvious from the results of clinical view (signs and lesions), zootechnical performance parameters, relative organs weights, immune response and serum biochemical variables. Dietary addition of HSCAS or TP either separately or concomitantly significantly diminished the toxicity resulting from aflatoxin B1. So, HSCAS and/or TP can be considered an integrated approach for the control of aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens.