Protective effect of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate [HSCAS] and/or butylated hydroxytoluene [BHT] against afla toxicosis in Meskofi ducks

ABSTRACT

Eighty Meskofi ducks, ten-days old of both sexes [weighting 35-45 gm] were equally divided into eight groups. The first group fed normal poultry ration [control group], the second group fed aflatoxin B1[AFB1] containing ration [30ppb], the third group fed on poultry ration containing Hydrated Sodium calcium aluminosilicate [HSCAS] at a dosage of 1kg/ton. The fourth group fed on a ration containing both aflatoxin and HSCAS. The fifth group received poultry ration containing butylated hydroxytoluene [BHT] at a dosage 8 times to the normal concentration in the feed [0.013%] The sixth group received ration containing both aflatoxin and BHT, the seventh group was fed on poultry ration containing both HSCAS and BHT and finally the last group was fed on aflatoxin containing ration and received both HSCAS and BHT. Five ducks from each group were slaughtered after 30 days from beginning of experiment and the other five ducks were slaughtered after 2 months [end of the experiment]. AFB1 decreased body weight gain [P<0.01], hepatic DNA and RNA contents, serum total protein, albumin and cholesterol while malondialdehyde [MDA] was elevated. The residues of AFB1 was determined in serum, liver and muscle of intoxicated ducks whereas the liver had the highest concentration. Addition of either BHT or HSCAS singly or in combination with the AFB1 containing diet produced a protection against the deleterious effects of AFB1 and decreased its residues. Moreover the combination of both BHT and HSCAS was better than that of lonely one