A feeding trial was conducted in order to determine the effects of aFusarium poae extract on the health and performances of broiler chickens and the possible protective effect of a natural zeolite. TheF. poae extract contained nivalenol, T-2 toxin and diacetoxyscirpenol and demonstrated high toxicity when administeredi.p. to rats. One-day-old broiler chickens were fedad libitum over a period of 28 days with the following diets: group I - control; group II - 0.5% zeolite; group III -F. poae extract; group IV-0.5% zeolite andF. poae extract. Broilers were sacrificed at 28 days for the measurement of relative organs weights, leukocyte counts and serum biochemical values. No mortality was recorded over the experiment. Body weight gains, feed intake, feed utilisation and water consumption were depressed by theF. poae extract (p<0.05). A decrease of these parameters were also observed in group IV which received the diet with zeolite and theF. poae extract. No significant differences were seen in group II when compared to control. In groups III and IV the relative weights of liver, kidney, hearth and gizzard were significantly increased (p<0.05), while in group II only the relative liver weight was increased.F. poae extract, administered singly or in combination with zeolite, significantly decreased leukocytes count, serum total protein and serum albumin. Zeolite andF. poae extract, singly or combined, increased serum creatinine and uric acid concentrations (p<0.05).These findings indicate that sublethal doses of F. poae extract can affect adversely the performances and the health in broiler chickens. By adding zeolite these impairments could not diminished and for some parameters the zeolite additive increased the adverse effects of the F. poae extract.
