Effects of Dietary Zearalenone on Finishing Broiler Chickens and Young Turkey Poults ,

Abstract

A total of 168 broiler chickens (6 to 9 weeks of age) and 192 turkey poults (3-1/2 to 6-1/2 weeks of age) were fed purified zearalenone at levels of 0 (control), 10, 25 (turkeys only), 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg diet for a 3 week period to evaluate its toxicity. Dietary zearalenone had no effect on body weight gain, feed consumption, weights of liver, heart, spleen, and bursa of Fabricius, serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, total protein and cholesterol, hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, white blood cell count, and differential leukocyte count in both chickens and turkeys. Male broiler comb and testes weights were reduced by high levels of zearalenone. Female comb weight, broiler oviduct weight, and turkey testes and ovaries were unaffected by zearalenone. Histopathological examination of tissues revealed no change due to zearalenone. Male turkeys fed 400 and 800 mg/kg zearalenone had increased development of dewlaps and caruncles and exhibited considerable strutting behavior. Muscle and fat tissue from broilers fed 800 mg/kg zearalenone had no detectable estrogenic activity as measured by mouse uterine bioassay. These studies indicate that the effects of dietary zearalenone on finishing broilers and young growing turkey poults are minimal.

Effect of Dietary Zearalenone on Reproduction of Chickens ,

“…However, reports of Palyusik et al (1971), Palyusik and Koplic-Kovacs (1975), and Vanyi and Szeky (1980b) seem to indicate that other species of birds are more susceptible to zearalenone than chickens. However, these authors did not use pure zearalenone, but rather crude fungus cultures, and other components such as zearalenol (Allen et al, 1981) or tricothecene toxins (Mirocha et al, 1980) 1 Chicks were fed in groups corresponding to the 6 replicate groups of hens fed each diet.…”

“…Zearalenone contaminated corn (30 mg/kg) caused cessation of spermatogenesis in guinea cocks (Vanyl and Szeky, 1980b). Recent studies by Chi et al (1980a, b) and Allen et al (1981) indicated that purified zearalenone may increase oviduct development in growing female chickens and retard testes growth in young male chickens.…”

A review of potential contaminants in Australian livestock feeds and proposed guidance levels for feed

“…Non-breeding cattle, goats, sheep and pigs can tolerate much higher concentrations and a guidance level of 2 mg/kg DM is proposed for these animals. Poultry are quite resistant to ZEA and concentrations ranging from 10 to 800 mg/kg have been required to produce significant effects (Chi et al 1980a(Chi et al , 1980bAllen et al 1981aAllen et al , 1981bOlsen et al 1986;Maryamma et al 1992). A guidance level of 2 mg/kg DM would offer a considerable safety margin.…”

Death in broiler breeders due to salpeingitis: Possible role of zearalenone

“…Other evidence for the presence of an oestrogenomimetic substance in these hens is the low progesterone concentrations observed in the affected birds, as such substances are known to lower progesterone production by the bovine granulosa cell (Kaplanski et al, 1981, Shore et al, 1984b and high levels of oestrogenomimetic substances are detrimental to proper oviductal function (Allen et al, 1981, Shore et al, 1984a. Appreciable quantities of zearalenone (0.5 /ag/g) will cause prolapse in the gilt but this does not necessarily indicate that this is the only active agent, as zearalenone rarely occurs by itself.…”

“…Appreciable quantities of zearalenone (0.5 /ag/g) will cause prolapse in the gilt but this does not necessarily indicate that this is the only active agent, as zearalenone rarely occurs by itself. It is usually accompanied by the even more potent oestrogen, zearalanol, and by other mycotoxins (Allen et al, 1981).…”