Hematological Parameters of Broilers Fed with Feed Contaminated with Aflatoxin

Aims: The study was design to show the effect of aflatoxicosis in hematological parameters of broiler fed with different doses of aflatoxin contaminated diets
Place and Duration of Study: Sample: A day old broilers were purchased from a poultry farm in Oyo State Nigeria and the heamatological analysis were conducted in Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria in the Department of Microbiology and Animal production and Health in Department between January–August 2012.
Methodology: A day old broilers were fed with normal commercial starter feed for 6 weeks. Thereafter were divided into 11 groups and fed with the different feed samples. (A= Basal diet free from mycotoxin contamination, B= diet containing mycotoxin standard AFB1(0.5µg/Afkg), C=diet containing standard AFB1(1µg/Afkg), D=diet containing standard AFB2(0.5µg/Afkg), E=diet containing standard AFB2(1µg/Afkg), F=diet containing standard AG1(0.5µg/Afkg), G= diet containing standard AG1(1µg/Afkg), H=diet containing standard AG2(0.5µg/Afkg), I= diet containing standard AG2(1µg/Afkg), J=diet containing toxicgenic Aspergillus flavus (1µg/AFkg),K= diet containing toxicgenic Aspergillus (1µg/AFkg) parasiticus) for 4 weeks. The initial body weight of the birds were recorded at 7 days interval up to the end of the experimentation.
Results: The result obtained from this research showed that, the average weight gain (g) increased in birds fed with normal diet from day 0 up to day 21 (39. 31±0.13a, 60.72±0.99a, 89.82±0.24c, 121.22±0.62a). There were reduction in weight of birds fed with feed containing the aflatoxigenic moulds and standard with increase in concentration of the toxin. The highest reduction was found in sample containing toxigenic A. parasiticus (25.33±0.19k, 38.45±0.09i, 49.12±0.02n and 62.34±0.32n) and A. flavus (28.15±0.65i, 31.32±0.02i, 57.43±0.05m and 78.45±0.21l) respectively after feeding up to 21 days. Significant decreases were noted in the following hematologic parameters: Red blood cell (RBC), Hemoglobin (Hb), Packed cell volume (PCV), and White blood count (WBC) heterophils and monocytes counts. There was increase in lymphocytes and eosinophils count compared with control.
Conclusion: The effects of the exposure of six-week-old broiler to doses of Aflatoxin correspond to a marked decrease in the weight of broilers, decrease in the Red blood cell (RBC), Hemoglobin (Hb), Packed cell volume (PCV), and White blood count (WBC).