This study investigated the effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and milk thistle seed (MTS) on some apparent ileal morphology and digestibility variables in the small intestines of broilers. A total of 216 Ross 308 male broiler chickens were allocated in a 3 3 factorial arrangement of the treatments with three concentration of AFB1 (0, 250, and 500 ppb) and three levels of MTS (0, 5, and 10 g kg -1 ). On day 35, the birds that received diets with 500 ppb of AFB1 alone (main effect) showed significant decrease in apparent ileal digestibility [dry matter (DM; 72.46±0.27) and ratio of VL to crypt depth (VL/CD; 4.74±0.07)] in their ileum segments (P<0.01). However, the mean nitrogen (N; 61.39±0.48) and crypt depth (CD; 173.5±9.87), in the ileum were significantly greater for the birds that were fed with 500 ppb AFB1 alone in their diets when compared with the control (P<0.01). Also, thistle seeds can ameliorate the toxic effects of AFB1 on some ileal digestibility factors, that is, DM, N, Ca, and CP, in broiler chicks. Nevertheless, ileum morphology of VW and goblet cell numbers were not affected negatively by the AFB1 plus MTS in diets. The results of this study indicated that the use of MTS independently reduced the toxic effects of AFB1, facilitated the absorption of nutrients, and reduced the metabolic demands of the intestinal tract in broiler chickens.

Background: Aspergillus flavus is the most important fungus for production of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). This study evaluated the ability of gamma rays (GRs) and electron-beam irradiation (EBI) to counteract the deleterious effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in a chicken model. Methods: Overall, 168 one-day-old male Coturnix quails were assigned to eight treatments for 42 d in Tehran, Iran, in 2010 and 2011. Two dietary inclusion rates of AFB1 (0 and 2 ppm) and toxin binders, such as 0, 27 kGy doses of GRs, 27 kGy doses of EBI, and 0.3% of commercial toxin binder-milbond-TX, were tested in a 2×4 factorial manner. Serum biochemical parameters, immune response, and dietary treatments on factors associated with kidney and lipid profiles were determined on day 42. Results: AFB1 significantly decreased the hematological parameters (Hematocrit in 21 and 42 d), immune response (White blood cell (WBC), heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H/L) and sheep red blood cell (SRBC)), and blood chemical factors (glucose, albumin, total protein, and triglycerides) compared to the control diet (P<0.05). It also significantly increased the calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, and lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) levels (P<0.05). The addition of toxin binders, such as GRs, EBI, and milbond-TX, in the contaminated diets significantly diminished the inhibitory effects of dietary AFB1 (P<0.05) on the hematological parameters, immune response, blood chemical factors, and factors associated with kidney and lipids profile with no differences compared to the control diet. Conclusion: The addition of these toxin binders may reduce the adverse effects produced by the presence of AFB1 in Japanese quails' diets.

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of <em>Zataria multifora</em> (ZM) on the performance and liver histopathology of broiler chickens contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). One hundred and sixty Ross 308 male broilers (one-day-old) were divided into four treatment groups with four replicates with 10 birds in each replicate. The chickens were reared on the floor for 35 days. The groups were contaminated with AFB1 at two different concentrations,<em> i.e.,</em> 0 and 1000 ppb, and fed ZM in their feed at the concentrations of 0 and 20 gr Kg 1. The evaluated performance parameters were subjected to a completely randomized design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement of the treatments using SAS software (version 9/1). AFB1 had a statistical lowering effects on the feed intake, body weight, body weight gain and average weight of the carcass, thigh, chest, bursa of fabricius, back and neck. Also, the weights of liver, gizzard, pancreas, proventriculus, abdominal fat, full intestine, and heart were increased with AFB1 (P&lt;0.05). In histopathological evaluations, the liver of chickens that received feed containing AFB1 showed multifocal and varied cytoplasmic vacuolization, severe fatty change, degenerating foci, fibrosis of the portal regions, and bile duct hyperplasia. The variables that were evaluated in this study showed that ZM had significant efficacy in diminishing the aflatoxins negative effects on the chickens.

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This study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementation of milk thistle seeds (MTS) and thyme seeds (TS) on blood chemical, lipid profile and immune response in broiler chicks. In this study, 160 one-day-old chicks (Ross 308) were allocated to four treatments with four replicates based on a completely randomized design in a 2×2 factorial arrangement. The treatment groups were ( However, none of the immunity parameters and liver enzymes differed significantly in MTS or TS groups. The present research indicated that supplements of MTS and TS have a protective influence on the lipids profile, total protein, globulin, albumin and AST levels in broiler chicks.