Effects of modified clinoptilolite zeolite on growth performance, health and detoxification of Aflatoxin B₁ and Ochratoxin A in broilers

A total of 375 1-day old male broiler chickens (Cobb 500) were included in the 42-day trial (from hatch to 42 days of age).

Animals were randomly allocated to five treatment groups (T1-T5) in 25 pens (15 broilers per pen, five pens per treatment).

• T1 group: broilers fed control maize-based diet without the addition of mycotoxins or the test product.
• T2 Group: broilers fed a contaminated maize-based diet containing 0.02 mg AFB1/kg feed and 0.1 mg OTA/kg feed.
• T3 Group: broilers fed a contaminated maize-based diet containing 0.02 mg AFB₁/kg feed and 0.1 mg OTA/kg feed, as well as the test product (1 g/kg feed).
• T4 Group: broilers fed a contaminated maize-based diet containing 0.05 mg AFB₁/kg feed and 0.5 mg OTA/kg feed.
• T5 Group: broilers fed a contaminated maize-based diet containing 0.05 mg AFB₁/kg feed and 0.5 mg OTA/kg feed, as well as the test product (2 g/kg feed).

Results showed that exposure to AFB₁ and OTA at low or moderate levels, as used in this study, did not markedly affect growth performance, blood profile, or organ weights. However, improvements in feed conversion ratio (FCR) were observed in birds receiving Minazel^® Plus.

FCR of T3 group was improved in comparison with T2 group, although there was no significant difference between T5 and T4 groups.

Average body weight gain was improved in the T5 group compared to T4, but not in the T3 versus T2 group comparison.

For serum biochemical parameters, glutamate-dehydrogenase (GLDH) was significantly improved in T5 birds in comparison with the T4 group.

The addition of Minazel^® Plus significantly decreased residue levels of AFB₁ in liver and OTA in the spleen of the treated groups.