The Effect of Clay- and Yeast-Based Mycotoxin Binder on Performance, Lymphoid Organs, Blood Parameters, Immune Response and Haematology Parameters of Broilers Exposed to Aflatoxin B1.

BACKGROUND: Feeding broilers aflatoxin-contaminated feed can disrupt the bird's performance, immune system and organs such as the liver, kidneys and heart. One possible strategy to minimise the inevitable impact of aflatoxins could be the use of toxic binders in the feed. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of mycotoxin binder magnotox (MAG) in reducing the toxicity of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on performance, lymphoid organs, blood parameters, immune response and haematology parameters of broiler chickens. METHODS: A total of 240 1-day-old male broiler chicks of Ross 308 strain with an average 1-day weight of 43.47 ± 0.28 g were used. This experiment was conducted as a 2 × 2 factorial in a completely randomised design with four treatments and six replications. The experimental diets included two levels of AFB1 (0 and 200 µg/kg) and two levels of MAG (0 and 1 g/kg). RESULTS: The interaction effects of AFB1 and MAG showed that adding 1 g/kg MAG to the AFB1-containing diet improved BWG compared to the AFB1-containing diet without MAG at 1-24, 25-42 and 1-42 days of age. Exposure to 200 µg/kg AFB1 increased the percentage of liver, kidney and pancreas, and the use of 1 g/kg MAG in the AFB1-containing diet significantly reduced the weight of these organs (p < 0.05). Regarding liver enzymes, MAG compensated for the increase in ALP, AST and ALT concentrations caused by AFB1 and reduced them similarly to the control treatment (p < 0.01). AFB1 exposure decreased IgG (24 and 42 days), IgM (24 days) and IgA (42 days) but the use of 1 g/kg MAG in AFB1-contaminated diets was able to compensate for the negative effects of AFB1 and significantly increase the concentration of IgG, IgM and IgA. The interaction of MAG and AFB1 showed that IBD and ND titres were reduced in AFB1-contaminated diets at 24 and 42 days of age but the use of MAG increased IBD and ND titres (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, broilers fed diets contaminated with 200 µg/kg AFB1 showed poor growth performance throughout the period due to impaired immune function and inflammation of immune organs, but supplementation with 1 g/kg MAG counteracted the negative effects caused by AFB1 and improved growth performance.