Comparison of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate and yeast cell wall on counteracting aflatoxicosis in broiler chicks

The objective of this research was to determine the efficacy of 2 types of adsorbents [hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicates (HSCAS) vs. a combination of clay and yeast cell wall] in preventing aflatoxicosis in broilers. A total of 275 one-day-old birds were randomly divided into 11 treatments, with 5 replicate pens per treatment and 5 chicks per pen. The 11 treatments included 3 diets without any adsorbent containing either 0, 1, or 2 mg/kg of aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) plus 8 additional treatments employing 2 dietary levels of AFB(1) (1 or 2 mg/kg), 2 different adsorbents [Solis (SO) and MTB-100 (MTB)], and 2 different levels of each absorbent (0.1 and 0.2%) in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Solis is a mixture of different HSCAS and MTB is a combination of clay and yeast cell wall. Feed and water were provided ad libitum throughout the 21-d study period. Body weight gain and feed intake were depressed and relative liver weight was increased in chicks fed AFB(1) compared with the positive control (P < 0.05). Severe liver damage was observed in chicks fed 2 mg/kg of AFB(1) with lesions consistent with aflatoxicosis, including fatty liver and vacuolar degeneration. Serum glucose, albumin, total protein, Ca, P, and alkaline phosphatase concentrations were reduced by AFB(1) (P < 0.05). The addition of either SO or MTB ameliorated the negative effects of 1 mg/kg of AFB(1) on growth performance and liver damage (P < 0.05). However, supplemental MTB failed to diminish the negative effects of 2 mg/kg of AFB(1), whereas SO was more effective compared with MTB at 2 mg/kg of AFB(1) (P < 0.05). These data indicate that the HSCAS product effectively ameliorated the negative effect of AFB(1) on growth performance and liver damage, whereas the yeast cell wall product was less effective especially at the higher AFB(1) concentration.