Effect of dietary aflatoxin on fertility, hatchability, and progeny performance of broiler breeder hens

Abstract

The effects of aflatoxin on egg production, fertility, hatchability, and progeny performance were investigated by feeding dietary aflatoxin at dose levels of 0, 5, and 10 ,ug/g to mature broiler breeder hens for 4 weeks. Sixteen hens were used for each dietary dose level. Egg production decreased significantly during weeks 3 and 4 after initiation of toxin feeding for hens fed 10 and 5 ,ug of aflatoxin per g of diet, respectively. Whereas fertility was not affected by dietary aflatoxin, hatchability of fertile eggs decreased significantly within week 1 of toxin feeding. Hatchability of fertile eggs collected during week 1 of the treatment period was 95.1, 68.9, and 48.5% for the control, 5and 10-,ug/g groups, respectively. At the dose levels used in this study, no latent effects of the aflatoxin or its metabolites were observed on the performance of surviving chicks. Six hens from each experimental group were necropsied at the end of the 4-week treatment period. These birds exhibited typical symptoms of aflatoxicosis, including enlarged, fatty and friable livers, and enlarged spleens. Aflatoxin, produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus, when present as a contaminant in

Effects of three Bacillus specious on hatchability, growth performance and serum biochemistry in Japanese quails fed diet contaminated with Aflatoxin B1

“…In many cases, researchers indicated that tetratogenic characteristics of mycotoxins could reduce hatchability by causing mandibular hypoplasia, softness and abnormality of the maxillary bone which impaired the final development of embryo (Hassan et al, 2012). One research demonstrated that breeder quails fed 4-6 ppb AFB have shown markedly decreased hatchability after 3 weeks (Howarth & Wyatt, 1976). Decreasing hatchability is due to quickly AFB1 transferred to eggs.…”

“…Also, aflatoxin was found in albumin and yolk egg. Furthermore, contaminated diets with aflatoxin impaired protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in breeders which directly influenced hatchability (Howarth & Wyatt., 1976). It was documented that glucomanans by increasing sperm density, improving fertility and hatchability reduced adverse effects of aflatoxin B1 in poultry (Madrigal-Santillan et al, 2007).…”

Effects of Addition of a Mycotoxin Detoxifier in Poultry Feed Containing Different Levels of Aflatoxins on the Performance of Broilers

“…However, these cases represent a small percentage of losses caused by aflatoxins since majority of cases are sub-clinical. These sub-clinical levels of aflatoxins not only reduce production performance of birds (Howorth and Wyatt, 1976;Verma et al, 2003) but also cause immunosuppression resulting in susceptibility to infections (Sims et al, 1970;Sohane and Chaturvedi, 2001). Aflatoxins have been reported from various animal feedstuffs in Pakistan (Afzal et al, 1979;Chaudhry et al, 1981;Bhatti et al, 2001) and their involvement in disease and mortality among commercial poultry has also been documented (Siddique et al, 1987;Sabri et al, 1989;Anjum, 1990;Azim et al, 1990).…”

Effect of Varying Levels of Aflatoxin, Ochratoxin and Their Combinations on the Performance and Egg Quality Characteristics in Laying Hens

“…Dietary aflatoxin decreased the mean egg weight and delayed the onset in the egg production whereas it had no effect on shell thickness or percent egg as shell (Hamilton and Garlich, 1971). Feeding of 0.5 and 1.0 ppm of aflatoxin to broiler breeder hens did not affect their fertility but the egg production and the hatchability were adversely affected (Howarth and Wyatt, 1976). Aflatoxicosis caused pathological changes in the chicken ovaries which has a detrimental effect on egg production (Hafez et al, 1982).…”