European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

BIOCHEMICAL ALTERATIONS IN AFLATOXICOSIS AND ITS AMELIORATION USING DIATOMACIOUS EARTH AS TOXIN BINDER IN BROILERS

A.W. Lakkawar*, H. D. Narayanaswamy and M.L. Satyanarayana

ABSTRACT

The ability of Diatomaceous earth (DAE) in reducing the toxic effects of aflatoxin (AF) in broiler diet was evaluated. DAE was supplemented @ 2000 mg kg-1 of feed along with 0.5 and 1 ppm of AF kg-1 of feed for a period of 35 days of age. Healthy unsexed day old broiler chicks (n=240) were assigned to 6 groups comprising of control and treatment groups. Feeding of AF resulted in significantly lower feed intake as well as body weight gain and increase in feed conversion ratio in comparison to the control groups. Supplementation of DAE in aflatoxin mixed diet significantly reduced the deleterious effects of AF on growth parameters. Feeding of AF alone caused significant decrease in serum levels of total proteins, albumin and cholesterol. However, significant increase was found in serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, urea, triglycerides and creatinine in AF fed broilers. Supplementation of DAE to the AF mixed feed ameliorated the adverse effect of AF on the serum biochemical values by causing increase in serum total proteins, albumin and cholesterol levels. In addition, a significant decrease was recorded in AST, ALT, ALP, BUN, triglycerides and creatinine levels in DAE supplemented broilers. The study emphasised that diatomaceous earth can be used as an effective adsorbent to decrease the toxic effects of aflatoxin in broiler chicken.

Keywords: Aflatoxin, amelioration, diatomaceous earth, serum biochemistry, broilers.