Aflatoxins and fumonisins co-contamination effects on laying hens and use of mycotoxin detoxifiers as a mitigation strategy.

This study examined the effects of fumonisins (FBs) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), alone or in combination, on the productivity and health of laying hens, as well as the transfer of aflatoxins (AFs) to chicken food products. The efficacy and safety of mycotoxin detoxifiers (bentonite and fumonisin esterase) to mitigate these effects were also assessed. Laying hens (400) were divided into 20 groups and fed a control, moderate (54.

Endotoxin Translocation Is Increased in Broiler Chickens Fed a Mycotoxin-Contaminated Diet.

Broiler chickens in livestock production face numerous challenges that can impact their health and welfare, including mycotoxin contamination and heat stress. In this study, we aimed to investigate the combined effects of two mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins (FBs), along with short-term heat stress conditions, on broiler gut health and endotoxin translocation. An experiment was conducted to assess the impacts of mycotoxin exposure on broilers, focusing on intestinal endotoxin activity, gene expression related to gut barrier function and inflammation, and the plasma concentration of the endotoxin marker 3-OH C14:0 either at thermoneutral conditions or short-term heat stress conditions.

Inactivation of zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in complete feed for weaned piglets: Efficacy of ZEN hydrolase ZenA and of sodium metabisulfite (SBS) as feed additives.

Female pigs respond sensitive both to DON and ZEN with anorexia and endocrine disruption, respectively, when critical diet concentrations are exceeded. Therefore, the frequent co-contamination of feed by DON and ZEN requires their parallel inactivation. The additive ZenA hydrolyzes ZEN while SBS inactivates DON through sulfonation.

Zearalenone and Its Emerging Metabolites Promptly Affect the Rumen Microbiota in Holstein Cows Fed a Forage-Rich Diet.

The study investigated the short-term effects of a single oral bolus of zearalenone (ZEN) on the rumen microbiota and fermentation patterns in four rumen-cannulated Holstein cows fed a forage diet with daily 2 kg/cow concentrate. During the baseline day, cows received uncontaminated concentrate, followed by ZEN-contaminated concentrate on the second day, and again the uncontaminated concentrate on day three. Free rumen liquid (FRL) and particle-associated rumen liquid (PARL) were collected at different hours post-feeding on all days to analyze the prokaryotic community composition, absolute abundances of bacteria, archaea, protozoa, and anaerobic fungi, as well as short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profiles.

Enzymatic Degradation of Zearalenone in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Pigs, Chickens, and Rainbow Trout.

The estrogenic mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEN) is a common contaminant of animal feed. Effective strategies for the inactivation of ZEN in feed are required. The ZEN-degrading enzyme zearalenone hydrolase ZenA (EC 3.

Efficacy of Bentonite and Fumonisin Esterase in Mitigating the Effects of Aflatoxins and Fumonisins in Two Kenyan Cattle Breeds.

The objective of the study was to investigate the efficacy of bentonite and fumonisin esterase, separately or combined, in mitigating the effects of aflatoxins (AF) and fumonisins (FUM) in Boran and Friesian-Boran crossbreed cattle. These effects were studied by measuring mycotoxins, their metabolites, and biomarkers that relate to animal health, productivity, and food safety. The study was divided into three experiments each lasting for 2 weeks.

Maximizing Laboratory Production of Aflatoxins and Fumonisins for Use in Experimental Animal Feeds.

Warm and humid climatic conditions coupled with poor agricultural practices in sub-Saharan Africa favor the contamination of food and feed by and fungi, which subsequently may produce aflatoxins (AFs) and fumonisins (FBs), respectively. The growth of fungi and the production of mycotoxins are influenced by physical (temperature, pH, water activity, light and aeration), nutritional, and biological factors. This study aimed at optimizing the conditions for the laboratory production of large quantities of AFs and FBs for use in the animal experiments.

Efficacy of Fumonisin Esterase in Piglets as Animal Model for Fumonisin Detoxification in Humans: Pilot Study Comparing Intraoral to Intragastric Administration.

Fumonisins, a group of highly prevalent and toxic mycotoxins, are suspected to be causal agents of several diseases in animals and humans. In the animal feed industry, fumonisin esterase is used as feed additive to prevent mycotoxicosis caused by fumonisins. In humans, a popular dosage form for dietary supplements, with high patient acceptance for oral intake, is capsule ingestion.

Porcine ear necrosis in weaned piglets: prevalence and impact on daily weight gain.

Background: Porcine ear necrosis (PEN) in pigs is characterized by a blue to black discoloration of the tip or margin of the ear followed by necrosis. The present study investigated the prevalence of PEN in a Belgian pig farm with PEN problems in nursery pigs, the effect of a mycotoxin detoxifier added to the feed on PEN prevalence, and the impact of PEN on the piglets' growth. Six consecutive batches of weaned piglets [565-751 piglets per batch, (n = 3898)] were included.

Effects of Deoxynivalenol and Fumonisins Fed in Combination to Beef Cattle: Immunotoxicity and Gene Expression.

We evaluated the effects of a treatment diet contaminated with 1.7 mg deoxynivalenol and 3.5 mg fumonisins (B1, B2 and B3) per kg ration on immune status and peripheral blood gene expression profiles in finishing-stage Angus steers.

Mycotoxins in Poultry Feed and Feed Ingredients from Sub-Saharan Africa and Their Impact on the Production of Broiler and Layer Chickens: A Review.

The poultry industry in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is faced with feed insecurity, associated with high cost of feeds, and feed safety, associated with locally produced feeds often contaminated with mycotoxins. Mycotoxins, including aflatoxins (AFs), fumonisins (FBs), trichothecenes, and zearalenone (ZEN), are common contaminants of poultry feeds and feed ingredients from SSA. These mycotoxins cause deleterious effects on the health and productivity of chickens and can also be present in poultry food products, thereby posing a health hazard to human consumers of these products.

Deepoxy-deoxynivalenol (DOM-1), a derivate of deoxynivalenol (DON), exhibits less toxicity on intestinal barrier function, Campylobacter jejuni colonization and translocation in broiler chickens.

Background: Intestinal epithelial cells are challenged by mycotoxins and many bacterial pathogens. It was previously shown that the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) as well as Campylobacter (C.) jejuni have a negative impact on gut integrity.

Metabolism of Zearalenone in the Rumen of Dairy Cows with and without Application of a Zearalenone-Degrading Enzyme.

The mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEN) is a frequent contaminant of animal feed and is well known for its estrogenic effects in animals. Cattle are considered less sensitive to ZEN than pigs. However, ZEN has previously been shown to be converted to the highly estrogenic metabolite α-zearalenol (α-ZEL) in rumen fluid in vitro.

The Mycotoxin Deoxynivalenol (DON) Promotes Multiplication in the Intestine of Broiler Chickens With Consequences on Bacterial Translocation and Gut Integrity.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the major health concern in poultry production as it targets epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract and contributes to the loss of the epithelial barrier function. It is well-documented that DON severely compromises various important intestinal functions in coincidence with aggravated clinical symptoms in livestock. In addition, a prolonged persistence of intestinal pathogens (e.

Multi-Mycotoxin Occurrence in Dairy Cattle and Poultry Feeds and Feed Ingredients from Machakos Town, Kenya.

Mycotoxins are common in grains in sub-Saharan Africa and negatively impact human and animal health and production. This study assessed occurrences of mycotoxins, some plant, and bacterial metabolites in 16 dairy and 27 poultry feeds, and 24 feed ingredients from Machakos town, Kenya, in February and August 2019. We analyzed the samples using a validated multi-toxin liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method.

Endotoxin Translocation and Gut Inflammation Are Increased in Broiler Chickens Receiving an Oral Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Bolus during Heat Stress.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), also termed endotoxins, are the major component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. In general, endotoxins in the intestine are considered harmless in healthy animals. However, different stressors, such as heat stress, can lead to a compromised gut barrier, resulting in endotoxin translocation.

A multicomponent mycotoxin deactivator modifies the response of the jejunal mucosal and cecal bacterial community to deoxynivalenol contaminated feed and oral lipopolysaccharide challenge in chickens1.

Mycotoxin deactivators are a widely used strategy to abrogate negative effects of mycotoxin-contaminated feed. It has not been adequately evaluated whether these deactivators may detoxify bacterial toxins in the intestinal lumen and subsequently lower the inflammatory response in chickens. The present objective was to study the effect of a multicomponent mycotoxin deactivator (B), containing a bentonite and a bacterial strain capable to enzymatically biotransform trichothecenes especially deoxynivalenol (DON), when supplemented to a DON-contaminated feed in combination with an oral lipopolysaccharide challenge on visceral organ size, expression of innate immune genes and mucosal permeability in the small intestine as well as on the cecal bacterial composition and metabolites in broiler chickens.

Feeding of deoxynivalenol increases the intestinal paracellular permeability of broiler chickens.

In recent years, the deleterious effects attributed to mycotoxins, in particular on the intestine, faced increased attention and it was shown that deoxynivalenol (DON) causes adverse effects on gut health. In this context, it has been repeatedly reported that DON can alter the intestinal morphology, disrupt the intestinal barrier and reduce nutrient absorption. The underlying mechanism of a compromised intestinal barrier caused by DON in chickens has yet to be illustrated.

Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in broilers challenged with a multi-resistant E. coli strain and received ampicillin, an organic acid-based feed additive or a synbiotic preparation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ampicillin, an organic acid-based feed additive and a synbiotic preparation on the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in the ceca of broilers. A total of 2000 broiler chickens (Ross 708) were randomly assigned to 5 groups with 8 replicates.

Effect of an organic acids based feed additive and enrofloxacin on the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in cecum of broilers.

Increasing antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern. Fluoroquinolones are used to treat and prevent poultry diseases worldwide. Fluoroquinolone resistance rates are high in their countries of use.

Comparative evaluation of probiotic and salinomycin effects on performance and coccidiosis control in broiler chickens.

The annual financial loss to the poultry industry as a result of coccidiosis has been estimated at about US $3 billion. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of probiotics and salinomycin as feed additives on performance and coccidiosis control in male broilers raised to 42 d of age. The study consisted of 360 Cobb male broiler chickens randomly allocated to 4 groups each with 3 replicates.