Mitigation potential of individual and combined dietary supplementation of local Bentonite Clay and Distillery Sludge against Ochratoxin-A induced toxicity in broilers.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the ameliorative effects of dietary supplementation of local bentonite clay (BN) and distillery sludge (DS) alone and in combination on ochratoxin-A (OTA) induced toxicity in broilers. For this purpose, day-old-broiler chicks (n = 270) were procured from the local market and reared under standard management conditions. After 7 days of acclimatization, birds were divided into 2 main groups A and B with respect to OTA inclusion level in feed, each with four sub-groups viz. A1-A4, each challenged with OTA at a dietary inclusion level of 250 µg/kg feed and B1-B4, each challenged with OTA at the level of 500 µg/kg feed and a common control group that was fed with basal feed throughout the experiment. In groups A and B, BN and DS were administered with feed at the rate of 10 g/kg of feed and 5 g/kg of feed alone and in combination, respectively.

Results: Results showed that OTA administration alone resulted in poor feed conversion ratio (FCR) and immunological responses along with increased serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST), urea and creatinine (P < 0.05). A significant decrease (P < 0.05) in serum protein levels (albumin, globulin and total protein) was also observed in OTA-fed groups in a dose-dependent manner. The addition of BN at 10 g/kg of OTA-contaminated feed resulted in better FCR and immunological responses as compared to those fed OTA only. The BN supplementation also conferred protection against elevation of serum biochemical parameters when compared with OTA-fed groups. However, the addition of DS could not provide significant protection (P > 0.05) on alteration of serum biochemical parameters in response to the OTA induced toxicity. The combined supplementation of BN and DS resulted in amelioration of OTA-induced toxicity and showed improved FCR, immunological, hematological and serum biochemical parameters (P < 0.05) when compared with other groups. Similarly, BN and DS resulted in a significant decline (P < 0.05) in the OTA tissue residues compared with other groups and control.

Conclusion: In conclusion, combined dietary supplementation of BN (10 mg/kg) and DS (05 mg/kg) in feed reduced the toxic effects of OTA contamination at levels of 250 and 500 µg/kg of feed in broilers. So, the combination products of BN and DS may be successfully developed for use in poultry for protection against OTA-induced toxicity in broilers.