Impact of Mycotoxins in Poultry Feed: Prevention and Control

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of low molecular weight produced by different varieties of fungi, principally moulds. Mycotoxin contamination usually occurs in the field as well as during the processing and storage of feed products. The presence of mycotoxins in chicken feed results in significant financial losses for the poultry farmer. Mycotoxins are omnipresent in high moisture feed ingredients and no poultry feed is free of any mycotoxin, under practical conditions. These moulds commonly grow on crops such as cereals, and grains, particularly under conditions of high humidity, temperature, and poor storage conditions. Feed contaminated with mycotoxin harms the production and health of animals. Mycotoxins show additive, synergistic, as well as antagonistic effects with other toxins, infectious agents, and nutritional requirements. They may interact with drugs used as therapeutic agents and also diminish the effects of vaccines administered to poultry.

Major Mycotoxins:

Aflatoxins, Ochratoxins, Fumonisins, Zearalenone, Trichothecene(T-2), Deoxynivalenol(DON)

Impacts of Mycotoxins on Poultry Health

Major Impacts of Mycotoxins

Aflatoxins:?

• high morbidity and mortality rates are possible
• lesions in the liver along with reddening due to necrosis and congestion or yellowing due to lipid accumulation
• haemorrhages in liver and other tissues

Ochratoxins:

• decreased weight gain as well as poor feed conversion
• decreased spontaneous activity
• diarrhea, rapid weight loss, and death
• decrease in overall carcass yield, egg production, egg quality, fertility, and hatchability

Fumonisins:?

Fumonisins block the synthesis of complex sphingolipids that play an important role in protecting nerves, muscles, and membranes. Due to this, the free sphingoid bases sphinganine (Sa) and sphingosine (So), both highly toxic to most cells, accumulate in tissues leading to severe cell damage and cell death.

Zearalenone:?

It is produced by Fusarium graminearum. ZEN and its metabolites have a biological structure similar to 17-b estradiol (E2). Hence, they can bind to estrogen receptors and interfere with estrogen function which affects animals' reproductive ability and cause reproductive disorders.

T-2 (Type A Tricothecene):?

? inhibition of protein, DNA, as well as RNA synthesis ? cytotoxicity and immunosuppression ? cell lesions in the digestive tract, organs, as well as skin ? neural disturbances and low overall performance in poultry production

DON:

• reduction in weight and immune response to infection, particularly bacterial infection.
• injury to the gastrointestinal tract
• decrease in the absorption of nutrients (glucose and amino acid) through the intestine

Prevention against mycotoxins is necessary and the use of detoxifying or adsorbing agent (mycotoxin binder) in poultry rations is essential.

What are Mycotoxin binders? And their effects…

Mycotoxin binders or adsorbents are substances that bind to mycotoxins and prevent absorption through the gut?of an animal.

The aluminosilicate binders are natural, inorganic mycotoxin binders containing a porous structure made of silica that can adsorb and trap mycotoxins (Jouany, 2007; Di Gregorio et al., 2014).?

Widely used Mycotoxin binders- aluminosilicates like clay, bentonite, zeolite, aqueous sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), and activated charcoal.?

• They degrade mycotoxins into non-toxic metabolites. In-vitro studies on the binding capacity of many adsorbents, HSCAS, and MOS have shown that these are the most effective choices.
• Added to animal diets, mycotoxin binders, adsorbents, and mould inhibitors can mitigate the negative effects of mycotoxin

Here’s the Solution…

Our product is a unique combination of high-grade mycotoxin adsorbents, mould inhibitors, as well as anti-fungal elements along with lipotropic agents which makes VINSORB-BIO a very effective mycotoxin binder for high levels of toxins, where the nature of toxin is unknown or its presence uncertain.

Composition

• Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate (HSCAS), Phyllosilicates?
• MOS
• Activated Charcoal
• Organic Acids
• Elemental Copper?
• Lipotropic Agents