Substitution of sugar cane bagasse in the chicken diet and immune response.

Total proteins and protein electrophoresis were made in the sera of broiler chicken (Arber Acres) to evaluate the effect of substitution of basal diet for 4 weeks by either 8% sugar cane bagasse +2% wheat germ or 16% sugar cane bagasse +4% wheat germ whether untreated or incubated with rumen liquor for 72 h and then sterilized with 2 Mrad gamma-irradiation (treated). Both levels of untreated sugar can bagasse (8 and 16%) showed significant decrease in gamma globulins but this decrease had no effect on broiler chicken (45 days) while there was significant increase in total proteins in treated sugar cane bagasse 8% with concomitant increase in alpha 2, beta 1, beta 2 and gamma globulins. These results denoted that addition of rumen liquor to 8% sugar cane bagasse diet have resulted in an improvement in the transportation of micro nutrients and immune response most probably due to its high content of microorganisms constituting high quality animal protein; also more vaccines were recommended in feeding of chicken with sugar cane bagasse for a longer period e.g. laying hens to overcome its suppressive effect on the gamma globulins.

Monitoring the preventive effect of hydrogen peroxide and gamma-radiation of aflatoxicosis in growing rabbits and the effect of cooking on aflatoxin residues.

The objective of the present study was the prevention of aflatoxicosis of growing rabbits fed aflatoxin (AF)-contaminated diet (833 microg of aflatoxins/kg) using 5% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and gamma-radiation at a dose level of 500 krad (5 kGy) and fed to growing rabbits. A total of 24 New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups. The experimental diets included AF-contaminated diet; AF-decontaminated diet, and AF-free diet (control). The obtained data showed significant reduction (p < 0.05) in live body weight and body weight gain of rabbits that fed on AF-contaminated diet as well as AF-decontaminated diet relative to control. There were no differences in feed consumption among the three groups; feed efficiency reduced significantly for AF-contaminated and AF-decontaminated groups. Mortality percentage was 25% for AF-contaminated and AF-decontaminated groups. Relative weight of the liver increased in animals fed AF-contaminated and AF-decontaminated diets, whereas the relative weight of kidneys decreased for both. There was no difference in total protein, but the levels of albumin and globulin were altered in rabbits receiving AF-contaminated diet. Serum enzymes (alanine amino transferase and aspartate amino transferase) activity increased significantly in rabbits that received AF-contaminated as well as AF-decontaminated diets. Histopathological examination revealed particularly alteration in liver and kidneys of rabbits fed AF-decontaminated diet. Results showed that the percentage of aflatoxin reduction ranged between 67 and 80% in boiled liver and between 79 and 90.5% in fried liver, whereas complete reduction in AF was found after boiling followed by frying. These findings indicate that the use of H2O2 and gamma-radiation for the destruction of aflatoxins in contaminated diet induces adverse effects in the animals.