Effect of Methionine Supplementation in Ameliorating Aflatoxicosis in Broiler Chickens

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of methionine (Met) in combating the experimental aflatoxicosis (AF) in broiler chickens. Two hundred and forty, day-old broiler chicks were divided into six treatment groups containing five replicates of 8 birds each (T-1: control; T-2: T-1+250 ppb AFB(1); T-3: T-1+0.05% Met; T-4: T-1+0.1% Met; T-5: T-2+0.05% Met; T-6: T-2+0.1% Met) and the experiment was continued for 42d. During this period (0-6 weeks), the BW gain (BWG) of broilers in control group (T-1) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of aflatoxin alone fed group (T-2). The BWG in T-3, T-4 and T-6 was statistically similar to that of control, however, the BWG in T-5 was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that of control (T-1). Supplementation of 0.1% Met in AF contaminated diet significantly (P < 0.05) improved the BWG. The overall feed intake (FI) in groups (T-3, T-4, T-5, and T-6) was statistically similar to that of control group (T-1), however, the FI in group T-2 was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced compared to control (T-1). The overall FCR in AF fed group (T-2) was higher (P < 0.05) than that of control. The FCR in all other treatment groups was statistically similar to that of control group (T-1) barring treatment T-5. Feeding of AF increased (P < 0.05) the relative weights of liver and spleen while decreased in weight of bursa. These effects of AF were ameliorated by supplementation of 0.1% Met. It was concluded that 250 ppb aflatoxin in broiler diet impaired the performance in terms of BW gain, feed intake, FCr and relative organ weights. Supplementation of 0.1% methionine to the aflatoxin contaminated diet had pronounced ameliorative effect on performance of the birds.