Meta-analytical study of productive and nutritional interactions of mycotoxins in broilers

Abstract

A meta-analysis was carried out to study the association of mycotoxins with performance, productive indices, and organ weights in broilers. Ninety-eight papers published between 1980 and 2009 were used, totaling 1,401 diets and 37,371 animals. Meta-analysis followed 3 sequential analyses: graphical, correlation, and variance-covariance. The mycotoxin presence in diets reduced (P < 0.05) feed intake by 12% and weight gain by 14% compared with control group. Ochratoxins and aflatoxins were the mycotoxins with the greatest effect on feed intake and bird growth, reducing (P < 0.05) feed ingestion by 17 and 11%, respectively, and weight gain by 20 and 11%, respectively. The mycotoxin concentration in diets and the animal age at challenge were the variables that more improved the coefficient of determination for equations to estimate mycotoxin effect on weight gain. The mycotoxin effect on growth proved to be greater in young poultry. The residual analysis revealed that 65% of the variation in weight gain was explained by feed intake. The variation in weight gain of challenged broilers in relation to nonchallenged broilers was also influenced by ingestion of nutrients such as protein and methionine. Mortality was 8.8 and 2.8 times greater (P < 0.05) in groups that received diets with deoxynivalenol and aflatoxins, respectively. Mycotoxins also increased (P < 0.05) the relative weight of liver by 15%, of kidneys by 11%, of lungs by 9%, and of gizzard by 3%. Mycotoxins influenced broiler performance, productive indices, and organ weights. However, the magnitude of the effects varied with type and concentration of mycotoxin, animal age, and nutritional factors.

Feeding of deoxynivalenol increases the intestinal paracellular permeability of broiler chickens

“…In the current study, however, DON levels of 10 mg/kg had a stronger inhibiting effect on the growth of chickens compared with 5 mg/kg, as weight differences were more pronounced between 5 and 10 mg/kg DON groups. These results are in agreement with previous studies, demonstrating that feeding of DON-contaminated diets compromised the growth performance of chickens (Dänicke et al 2003;Andretta et al 2011;Awad et al 2012b).…”

Effects of absorbents on growth performance, blood profiles and liver gene expression in broilers fed diets naturally contaminated with aflatoxin

“…The increased F/G in broilers fed AFB-contaminated diets (44.5 μg/kg) was observed by previous studies [26]. Others also observed negative effects of AFB (1 to 5 mg/kg) on growth performance in broilers [5][6][7]27]. On the contrary, low purified AFB 1 (50 μg/kg) did not affect growth performance in broilers [3].…”

“…The occurrence of AFB poses a great threat to broiler health because of its adverse effects on growth performance, immunity, intestinal morphology, blood profiles and hepatic functions [3][4][5][6]. A meta-analysis study indicated that AFB-contaminated diets caused 11% reduction in feed intake and daily weight gain in broilers, and the feed conversion ratio was also decreased by 6% [7].…”

Airborne bioaerosols and their impact on human health

“…Mycotoxins are toxic secondary biomolecules produced by fungus or molds. However, different types of mycotoxins may be produced by one mold species, while the same mycotoxin may be produced by several species (Andretta et al, 2011). Hence, classification of mycotoxins can be made based on their chemical structures as well as reactive functional groups (e.g., primary/ secondary amines, carboxylic acids, hydroxyl (or phenolic) groups, lactams, and amides) (Grenier and Applegate, 2013).…”