ABSTRACTA preliminary study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Aflatoxin B1 (AfB1) contamination and common moulds growing in some selected poultry feed ingredients in Zaria town, Nigeria. Twenty-five (25) samples of five different feed ingredients, which included Maize (MZ), soybean cake (SBC), groundnut cake (GNC), brewers dried grain (BDG) and maize offal (M/O) were collected. Samples were collected in March from four commercial feed mills and the open market. The common moulds isolated from the samples were Mucor spp., Aspergillus s pp., Fusarium spp., Penicillum spp., Curvularia spp. and Rhizopus spp. Aflatoxin B1 contamination showed that maize and soya bean cake were less than the 20 parts per billion (ppb) permissible limits for AfB1 in poultry feed ingredients, while BDG, M/O and GNC were 40, 60 and 80 % respectively above 20 ppb permissible limits. Three feeding trials were conducted using broiler chickens. The first experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of four levels of Mycofix® in diets of broiler chickens, experiment two evaluated the response of broiler chickens fed diets containing four levels of Biotronic ® SE and experiment three evaluated the response of broiler chickens fed diets containing single and combined levels of Mycofix® and Biotronic ® SE. In experiment one; 330 day old Ross broiler chicks were used for the feeding trial. The chicks were allotted in a completely randomized design (CRD) to five dietary treatments replicated thrice with 22 chicks per replicate. Treatment one was the control diet without Mycofix®, while treatments 2, 3, 4 and 5 had Mycofix® included at the rate of 100, 200, 300 and 400 g / 100kg diet respectively. In experiments two and three, a total of 396 day old Ross chicks each were used. In experiment 2, Treatment one was the positive control diet without Biotronic® SE and Oxytetracycline, treatments, 2, 3, 4, 5 had Biotronic® SE at the rate of 200, 300, 400, 500g Biotronic® SE / 100kg diet and Tretment 6 (negative control) had 100g Oxytetracycline/100kg feed. Experiment 3, Treatment one was the postive control diet without Mycofix®, Biotronic® SE and Oxytetracycline, treatments 2, 3, 4, 5 had 400g Mycofix®, 500g Biotronic® SE, 200gMycofix® + 250 Biotronic® SE, 400g Mycofix®+ 400g Biotronic® SE and treatment 6 (negative control) 100g Oxyteracycline/ 100kg of feed respectively. The diets were formulated to meet standard requirements for starter and finisher broiler chickens. Feed and water were given to the birds ad libitum for the experimentl periods. Data collected included the average of body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass percentage, nutrient digestibility; others were haematological, biochemical indices, kidney function test, microbial analysis of digesta, drug residue in meat samples and villi morphometerics. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using General Linear Model procedure of SAS and significant differences among treatment means were compared using Dunnette test of significance. Experiment One, starter phase showed that dietary treatments had significant effect (P < 0.05) on final weight gain, feed conversion ratio, feed cost and feed cost per kilogram gain. Birds fed 400g/100kg diet Mycofix® had the best final body weight gain at both starter (839.67g) and finisher phases (2350.34g) respectively. The feed conversion ratio at the starter phase was significantly (P<0.05) lower in the experimental treatments and at the finisher phase, 400g Mycofix® treatment had a significantly (P<0.05) lower feed conversion ratio. There were no significant differences (P<0.05) across treatments for cut parts and organ weights of carcass. Haematological and biochemical indices were not significantly affected by dietary treatments as parameters were within the normal reference range for broiler chickens. Nutrient digestibility was significantly improved at 400g inclusion. Experiment Two, xviii starter phase results showed similar (P>0.05) weight gain in birds on 500g Biotronic® SE and100g Oxytetracycline. The birds fed 500g Biotronic® SE had the best feed conversion ratio (1.7) and feed cost per kilogram gain (â‚Âďż˝151.42) values. The finisher phase result showed no significant (P>0.05) differences in weight gain among Treatments 3, 4, 5 and 6. Birds on 400g Biotronic® SE had a lower (P > 0.05) FCR and feed cost per kilogram gain.The dressing percentage for the carcass was best in 500g Biotronic® SE and Oxytetracycline treatments. Prime cuts: breast, drumstick and wings were better in birds on 400g Biotronic® SE. Haematological parameters were not affected by dietary treatments. The values of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly (P>0.05) higher in the experimental treatments, alanine amino transferase (ALT) values was significantly (P>0.05) higher in the antibiotic treatment while aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values was significantly (P > 0.05) higher in birds on 400g Biotronic® SE and Oxytetracycline group. The crude protein values (86.54, 89.31 and 94.50 %) for nutrient digestibility was significantly (P<0.05) higher in 200, 300 and 400g Biotronic® SE groups respectively. The crude fibre (76.43 %) and ether extract (89.82 %) values were significantly (P<0.05) lower across treatments. The levels of Biotronic® SE was more effective in increasing aerobic plate count and coliform counts in both ileum and ceacum of broiler chicks. Birds fed the control diet showed no drug detected, while birds fed 200, 300, 400 and 500g Biotronic® SE were low and Oxytetracycline treatment showed high concentration of drug. In experiment three, results of the starter phase showed no significant (P>0.05) differences in most of the parameters measured across treatments. Birds on Oxytetracycline treatment had a significantly (P <0.05) higher feed intake (1920.44g) from the rest treatment groups and control. At the finisher phase, birds on 100g Oxytetracycline had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher weight gain, average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio and least feed cost /kilogram gain Carcass result showed better breast weight for birds fed diets with Oxytetracycline and better drum stick for birds fed diets with 400g Biotronic® SE. No significant (P>0.05) differences for organ weights across treatments. No significant (P>0.05) differences were recorded across treatments for haematological profile, liver and Kidney function tests. Nutrient digestibility for birds fed 400g Biotronic® SE was better (P<0.05) in its percentage composition for dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre and ash content across treatments but similar to control. Results of villi morphometrics of sections of the jejunum showed that birds fed 400g® Mycofix and 400g Biotronic® SE had a significantly (P<0.05) higher villi crypt across treatment groups and control. Villi roundness for birds on control diet was significantly (P<0.05) higher other rest treatment groups. The study concludes the growth of fungi spp. in feed ingredients samples and presence of AfB1. The findings of the feeding trials concludes that the use of Mycofix® a toxin binder, improved performance significantly at both starter and finisher phases at the rate of 4kg/tone which was above the recommended level of 2-3kg /tone. The use of Biotronic® SE as a gut acidifier gave a better result for all the growth performance parameters above the control; at 500g/100kg for starter phase and 400g/kg at finisher phase. It had a positive effect on maintenance of normal microbial activity of ileum and ceacum and no residues in meat samples. The combined and single use of Mycofix® and Biotronic® SE did not significantly improve growth of broiler chickens, but performed comparable to the antibiotic treatment in all the parameters measured. The combinations had no adverse effect on measured performance parameters, haematological parameters, liver and kidney function tests and improved villi crypt an evidence of a positive synergy in their combination. It is recommended that Mycofix® can be singly used at 400g/100kg and 500g/100kg feed of Biotronic ® SE as a means of alleviating the incidences of mycotoxins in feed and improving gut health.The combined inclusion recommended is at 200g Mycofix® and 200g Biotronic ® SE/100kg feed.
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