Metabolism of aflatoxins contaminated rations in sheep [intake, excretion and cumulation]

ABSTRACT

Six Rahmani female sheep aged two years and weighted 52 kg each, were employed in this study. The animals were arranged in two groups at r and om, then exposed to three different stages. The 1st stage is pre-treatment which extended for 30 days; then in the 2nd stage [experiment stage], the animals ingested contaminated corn contained two levels of aflatoxins for 120 successive days. The two levels of aflatoxins contamination were 380 ug B1 + 120 ug B2 + 1020 ug G1 + 310 ug G2 and 190 ug B1 + 60 ug B2 + 510 ug G1 + 155 ug G2 for the first and second group, respectively. While, in the 3rd stage [post- treatment], the animals received free rations for 45 days. Qualitative assay revealed that the aflatoxins excreted in urine were aflatoxin M1 only, in spite of ingestion other types of aflatoxin [B1, B2, G1 and G2]. No aflatoxin had been detected in feces of treated animals, while the four forms were obtained. Quantitative assay showed that concentration of excreted aflatoxin M1 in urine ranged between 19.7 - 22.9% of aflatoxin B1 ingested. Also, data showed that ratio of aflatoxins excreted in feces were depending upon both the form of the toxin and the level of contamination. This ratio ranged between 4.5 - 5.5% and 45 - 65% of ingested aflatoxins G1 and B2, respectively