Emerging mycotoxin occurrence in chicken feed and eggs from Algeria.

Poultry farming has developed into one of Algeria's most productive industrial farming because of the growing demand for sources of protein among Algerian society. Laying hen feed consists mainly of cereals, which can be contaminated with molds and subsequently with their secondary metabolites known as mycotoxins. These later can pose a serious danger to the production and quality of eggs in the commercial layer industry. This work focuses on the detection of emerging mycotoxins, mainly enniatins (ENNs) and beauvericin (BEA), in poultry feed and eggs from different locations in Algeria. Two different QuEChERS-based extractions were established to extract ENNs and BEA from chicken feed and eggs. The determination of mycotoxin occurrence was achieved by a UHPLC-MS/MS method using 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water and MeOH as mobile phase, an ESI interface operating in positive mode, and a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in MRM for the detection. Matrix-matched calibration curves were carried out for both matrices, obtaining good linearity (R2 > 0.99). The method performance was assessed in terms of extraction recovery (from 87 to 107%), matrix effect (from - 47 to - 86%), precision (RSD < 15%), and limits of quantitation (≤ 1.1 µg/kg for feed and ≤ 0.8 µg/kg for eggs). The analysis of 10 chicken feed samples and 35 egg samples composed of a 10-egg pool each showed that ENN B1 was the most common mycotoxin (i.e., found in 9 feed samples) with contamination levels ranging from 3.6 to 41.5 µg/kg, while BEA was detected only in one feed sample (12 µg/kg). However, eggs were not found to be contaminated with any mycotoxin at the detection limit levels. Our findings indicate that the searched mycotoxins are present in traces in feed and absent in eggs. This can be explained by the application of a mycotoxin binder. However, this does not put a stop on the conduction of additional research and ultimately setting regulations to prevent the occurrence of emerging mycotoxins.

Dietary use of Artemisia herba alba Asso as a potential coccidiostat against cæcal coccidiosis: haematological parameter variations.

This study consists of the evaluation of the anticoccidial effect of Artemisia herba-alba Asso during experimental coccidial infection. Four groups of 30 broiler chickens were formed: the negative control (G1), the positive control (G2), the infected Monensin-treated group (G3), and the infected Artemisia-treated group (G4). Each infected bird received orally 105 sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella. No mortality was recorded in both G1 and G4. Haematocrit levels showed great variations from the 7th day post-infection, especially in G2 (20.87% ± 5.77). By day 10 P-I, haematocrit recovery was rapid particularly in G4 (28.07% ± 1.50). Haemoglobin concentration also decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in all infected groups by the 7th day P-I. The reduction was very marked, but not statistically significant, in G2 (6.47 g/dL ± 1.67) against (10.53 g/dL ± 0.25) in G1. It was less marked in G4 (8.05 g/dL ± 1.56). Results show the protective effect of A. herba-alba Asso by improving the lesion score and the haematological parameters affected during coccidian infection.