Effect of ascaridia galli infestation on body weight, vitamin A and some blood constituents in chicken

The present investigation was planned to study the effect of Ascaridia galli infestation on the average body weight, carotenoids, vitamin A, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, sodium, potassium and magnesium of 80 chickens at 7, 14, 28 and 49 days post infestation during the tissue and intestinal phases of the parasite. The results indicated that the maximal average live body weight was observed in case of noninfested control chickens, severe retardation of growth of infested chicken was noticed after 49 days post infestation during the intestinal phase of the parasite. The levels of serum carotenoids, serum vitamin A, liver carotenoids and liver vitamin A of infested chicken after 28 and 49 days post-infestation during the intestinal phase of the parasite, recorded a significant decrease than control ones. Also, there is a significant lowering in serum calcium, sodium and potassium levels of infested chicken after 28 and 49 days post infestation, however, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium levels showed a significant increase above respective control

Detoxification of aflatoxins in some food commodities and poultry ration

The purpose of this study was to devise a practical method to inactivate the aflatoxin in feed stuffs or rations. Physical methods used were dry heating at temperatures of 120, 160 and 180 C for 1,2 and 3 hours respectively, and wet heating at temperatures of 160 and 180 C for 1 and 2 hours respectively. The results of defoxification by these methods were not encouraging where the maximum reduction percents by dry or wet heating were 18 and 42% respectively. The chemical methods used were ammoniation and reaction with formaldehyde. Each of them gave excellent results in destroying aflatoxin almost completely. Good airing after ammoniation is very important to get rid of ammonia residues; formaldehyde residues were oxidised by potassium permanganate to a safe level