Dietary vitamin E in white leghorn layer breeder hens: a strategy to combat aflatoxin B1 induced damage.

This study was designed to investigate the protective activity of Vitamin E (Vit E) in White Leghorn (WL) breeder hens and their progeny against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) induced damage. The results indicated a significant decrease in egg production and quality in the groups exposed to dietary AFB1. A detectable amount of AFB1 residue appeared in the eggs during the 1(st) week of mycotoxin exposure at levels ≥ 2.5 mg kg(-1), which reached its peak {0.403± 0.04 ng/g (mean ± SD)} during the 2(nd) week of the experiment (in the group fed 10 mg kg(-1)). Feeding Vit E + AFB1 resulted in higher AFB1 residues (0.467 ± 0.03) when compared to the hens fed AFB1alone. The resistance of RBCs to oxidative damage was decreased, while embryonic mortalites and deformities were increased in the AFB1 fed groups. The protective effect of Vit E on these parameters was noted in the groups fed lower doses of AFB1. After the withdrawal of mycotoxin contaminated feed, most of the parameters returned towards normal within 2 wks, except AFB1 residues which were still detectable. From the findings of this study it can be concluded that the addition of Vit E in the diet of hens provided only partial protection against AFB1 induced damage. PMID: 25011613 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Avian Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Avian Pathol Source Type: research