Aflatoxins are a major problem in poultry production and are significant economic and public health burdens worldwide. Three commercial mycotoxin binders (TXB) were used to determine their efficacy in preventing the toxic effects of Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) on broiler productivity, biochemical and hematological parameters, and liver function. A total of 600 day-old broilers were randomly allotted to 12 treatments in a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement with 3 levels of AFB 1 (0, 2, and 4 µg/g) and 4 TXB (no toxin binder, 1.0 g/kg Mycosorb, 1.0 g/kg Formycin, and 20.0 g/kg Anzymit) with 5 replicates of 10 chicks each per treatment. Results indicated that AFB 1 , in comparison with the control, caused a significant decrease in feed intake, weight gain, feed efficiency, and hematological values. Serum proteins (globulin, albumin, and total protein) and serum Ca and P concentrations followed the same pattern. Relative weights of the heart, gizzard and liver, and AST activity in serum were increased in a dose-dependent manner, but ALT activity was not statistically affected by AFB 1 . Adding TXB to the AFB 1 contaminated diet increased weight gain, feed efficiency, hematological values and serum proteins. The commercial mycotoxin binders decreased AST and ALT activities, but did not have a significant effect on the relative organs weight and serum Ca and P concentrations. Neither AFB 1 nor commercial toxin binders affected total cholesterol, LDL, or HDL in this study. It was concluded that the addition of the commercial toxin binders to the AFB 1 containing diets reduced the adverse effects of AFB 1 and could be helpful as a solution to the aflatoxicosis problem in young broiler chicks. ARTICLE HISTORY

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of emulsifier (Lipidol, active ingredient: lysophospholipids; LPL) and xylanase (200 mg/kg of feed) supplementation in a lower energy diet on performance, nutrient retention, intestinal morphology, blood metabolites and meat quality in broilers. A total of 360 1-day-old male chicks (Ross 308) were assigned to five treatments, with six replications of 12 birds each per treatment in a completely randomized design. The five treatments were as follows: (a) higher energy diet (HE); (b) lower energy diet (LE; energy content reduced by 100 kcal/kg compared with the HE); (c) LE + 0.10% LPL (EM); (d) LE + 200 mg xylanase/kg (ENZ); and (e) LE + 0.10% LPL + 200 mg xylanase/kg (EM + ENZ). Broilers fed HE had a higher average daily gain (ADG, day 0-24) and lower average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) from day 11 to 24 and day 0 to 24 than those fed the LE diet. Broilers fed EM or ENZ diets also had lower FCR and ADFI (day 11-24 and day 0-24) than those fed reduced-energy diets. The inclusion of 0.10% LPL and/or xylanase to the LE diet increased the apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), ether extract (EE) and gross energy (GE), as well as villous height and ratio of villous height to crypt depth in the duodenum and jejunum. Serum free fatty acid (FFA) concentration was lower in birds fed the HE diet, compared with those fed the LE diet. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were decreased by LPL supplementation. The relative weight of abdominal fat was higher in birds fed the HE diet, but lower from LPL supplementation. It was concluded that a reduced-energy diet impaired bird performance, while dietary supplementation of LPL and xylanase to reduced-energy diets positively affected productive performance, nutrient utilization, intestinal morphology and abdominal fat percentage.

Abstract. An experiment was carried out that was intended to explore the growth performance, nutrient retention, and heat stress biomarkers of finishing broilers under cyclic heat stress (HS) as modulated by the supplementation of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) and Curcuma xanthorrhiza essential oil (CXEO). Two hundred and forty 21-day-old Ross 308 male broilers were allocated to four experimental treatments, each of which was replicated six times with 10 broilers per replicate. The diets included a control (CON), CON + 5 g of MOS kg −1 , CON + 400 mg of CXEO kg −1 of feed, and CON + 5 g of MOS kg −1 + 400 mg of CXEO kg −1 . From day 22 to 42, birds were subjected to cyclic HS by exposing them to 33 • C for 10 h (from 07:00 to 17:00 LT) and 22 • C from 17:00 to 07:00. Dietary treatments did not have an effect on average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, the duodenal histomorphology, and relative visceral weights. Body weight, average daily gain, villus length, crypt depth, and the villus-length-to-crypt-depth ratio in the jejunum were significantly increased in birds fed MOS or MOS + CXEO diets (p < 0.05). The relative bursa weight of the control birds was lower (p < 0.05) compared to those fed the MOS diet. Compared with CON, dietary treatments reduced corticosterone and creatine kinase levels, the heterophile-to-lymphocyte ratio, and mRNA levels of heat shock protein 70 in the breast muscle and jejunum (p < 0.05). It was concluded that dietary supplementation of either MOS or CXEO alone or in combination may reduce some of the harmful effects of HS in broiler chickens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of xylanase and citric acid (CA) on growth, digesta pH, ileal populations of Clostridium perfringens and lactic acid bacteria, ileal nutrient digestibility, digestive enzyme activity, and mRNA expression of intestinal nutrient transporters in starter broilers challenged with C. perfringens. The experiment was conducted in a 2×2 factorial arrangement with two levels of CA (0 and 30 g/kg) and 2 levels of xylanase (0 and 200 mg/kg). Each of the four dietary treatments was fed to six replicate pens (15 birds/pen) between 0 and 21 d of age. Dietary CA significantly increased ADFI and ADG; meanwhile, xylanase addition led to a substantial reduction in FCR (P＜0.05). No differences in digesta pH, C. perfringens counts, or quantity of lactic acid bacteria were found between the treatments. Xylanase supplementation increased AME values (P＜0.01) and ileal digestibility of CP (P＜0.05) in challenged birds. The inclusion of CA also increased the AME (P＜0.01), and tended to increased ileal CP digestibility (P＝0.085). Xylanase supplementation increased α-amylase, trypsin, and sucrose activity in the jejunum (P＜0.01). Dietary CA significantly increased (P＜0.01) villi length as well as the villus length to crypt depth ratio in jejunum segments. The jejunal mRNA expression of sodium glucose co-transporter 1 (SGLT1) and H + -dependent peptide transporter 1 (PepT1) were upregulated by xylanase supplementation (P＜0.01). The results suggest that dietary CA can promote growth as well as improve intestinal morphology and AME in birds challenged with necrotic enteritis. This study shows that xylanase supplementation improved FCR and AME in birds independent of C. perfringens infection; it also elevated the apparent ileal digestibility of CP, digestive enzyme activities, and mRNA expression of nutrient transporters in challenged birds.

This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of chamomile flower extract (CFE) and thymeoil extract (TOE) for the preventing effect of ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin B 1 (AFB) in broiler productivity, biochemical parameters, gut morphology and immune response of broilers. The experiment was conducted as a 3 Â 4 factorial arrangement, being the factors: phytogenic additives (control, 3 g/kg diet of CFE, or 3 g/kg diet of TOE) and dietary contaminated diets (none, 0.50 mg/kg diet of AFB, 0.25 mg/kg diet of OTA, or 0.50 mg/kg diet of AFB þ 0.25 mg/kg diet of OTA). Each of the 12 dietary treatments was fed to six replicate pens (10 birds/pen) from 0 to 28 d of age. Inclusion of phytogenic additives increased average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI), and decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR) from day 11 to 28 and day 0 to 28 in the birds fed OTA-AFB toxin diets. Significantly increased levels of HDL, IgG, IgM and anti-Newcastle disease virus (NDV) antibody titre were observed in the two essential oil-treated groups when compared with the control group. When compared with the control, relative weights of gizzard, liver and pancreas were significantly higher for broilers fed diets containing OTA alone. The results indicated that OTA and AFB toxins, alone or in combination, reduced villous height (VH) and ratio of VH to crypt depth in the jejunum. The levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL and plasma immunoglobulin, as well as NDV antibody titre were significantly decreased by AFB-OTA toxin combination. In summary, the combination of OTA and AFB impaired chick immune function even at combined concentrations as low as 0.25 mg/kg diet of OTA and 0.50 mg/kg diet of AFB. The inclusion of TOE and CFE can be an alternative to ameliorate the adverse effects of low doses of AFB and OTA in broiler diets. HIGHLIGHTSOchratoxin A and aflatoxin B 1 , alone or in combination, affect negatively productive performance and immune function. Dietary inclusion of chamomile flower extract (CFE) and thyme-oil extract (TOE) had positive effects on growth performance and immune response. Addition of CFE and TOE to diets can ameliorate the adverse effects of mycotoxins in broiler diets. ARTICLE HISTORY