EFFECTS OF A HYDRATED SODIUM CALCIUM ALUMINOSILICATE (T-BIND**TM) ON MYCOTOXICOSIS IN YOUNG BROILER CHICKENS

Authors: Kubena, Leon; Harvey, Roger; Bailey, Richard; Buckley, Sandra - Sandy; ROTTINGHAUS, GEORGE - UNIV. OF MISSOURI

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/7/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Mycotoxins are poisons produced by various molds that sometimes grow on grains and animal feeds. Aflatoxins and T-2 toxin are very toxic mycotoxins that can occur naturally on a number of feedstuffs. Poultry are sensitive to these toxins and consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated feed costs the poultry industry millions of dollars annually and sometimes may mean the difference between profit and loss. Methods to detoxify mycotoxin-containing feedstuffs on a large scale and in a cost effective manner are not currently available. One reasonably successful approach has been the use of inorganic sorptive materials such as aluminosilicates to bind aflatoxins in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, thus reducing their absorption. In the present study, broiler chicks were fed diets containing aflatoxins or T-2 toxin with and without a specific sorbent (T- bind**TM) to determine the effectiveness of this material to reduce toxicity. The sorbent reduced the toxicity of aflatoxins but did not reduce the toxicity of T-2 toxin. This information may be used by the poultry industry to decrease the toxic effects of aflatoxin-contaminated feedstuffs and may assist in developing strategies to minimize the toxic effects of mycotoxin-contaminated grains.

Technical Abstract: Experiments were conducted to determine the ability of a hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (T-Bind**TM) sorbent to reduce the toxicity of aflatoxins (AF) or T-2 toxin (T-2) in male broiler chickens from day-of- hatch to 21 days-of-age. In experiment 1, the sorbent was added at 0.250% or 0.375% to diets containing AF at 5 or T-2 at 8 mg/kg of diet. When compared with controls, AF reduced body weight gain (BWG) by 27% and T-2 reduced BWG by 17%. The addition of the sorbent at 0.250% or 0.375%, in the absence of added mycotoxins, did not alter the performance of the chicks. The sorbent reduced the toxic effects of 5 mg AF/kg of diet on BWG by 43% but did not significantly diminish the toxic effects of 8 mg T-2/kg of diet. The decreased efficiency of feed utilization and the increased relative organ weights caused by AF were significantly diminished to differing degrees by the sorbent. Oral lesions caused by T-2 were not affected by the sorbent. In experiment 2, the sorbent was added at 0.80% to a diet containing 8 mg T-2/kg of diet. The sorbent did not diminish the toxic effects of T-2 when added at 0.80% of the diet. These data demonstrate that this specific sorbent can provide protection against the toxicity of AF, but not T-2, in young broiler chicks.