Effect of dietary calcium propionate on performance, hepatic enzyme activities and aflatoxin residues in broilers fed a diet containing low levels of aflatoxin B1.

This study was undertaken to the study toxic effects of aflatoxins and reducing toxic effects of calcium propionate on performance, hepatic enzyme activities and aflatoxin residues in broilers. Two hundred and seventy 1-day-old hybrid Arbor Acor broiler chickens were fed conventional feed for 3 days. Broilers were then randomly divided into nine groups of 30 birds each. The nine dietary treatments consisted of (1) conventional feed as a negative control diet, (2) 0.25% calcium propionate, (3) 0.5% calcium propionate, (4) 50 ppb aflatoxin B1, (5) 50 ppb aflatoxin B1 plus 0.25% calcium propionate, (6) 50 ppb aflatoxin B1 plus 0.5% calcium propionate, (7) 100 ppb aflatoxin B1, (8) 100 ppb aflatoxin B1 plus 0.25% calcium propionate, (9) 100 ppb aflatoxin B1 plus 0.5% calcium propionate. Test diets were offered for 6 weeks continuously and the birds were sacrificed. Decreased body weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio were observed in aflatoxin treated groups whereas aflatoxin B1-calcium propionate supplemented diet groups increased, in comparison to the control group. Significant difference was observed after 4 weeks of feeding. Serum samples were tested for gamma glutamyl transferase (gamma-GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Gamma-GGT, AST and ALT were significantly increased in aflatoxin treated groups, in comparison among the dietary treated groups. Muscle and liver tissues were analyzed for aflatoxin residues. The residual levels of aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin M1 were significantly higher in liver than in muscle. The levels in the liver and the muscle were highest in the aflatoxin B1-supplemented groups and lower in the aflatoxin B1-calcium propionate supplemented groups. Results of this study indicate that addition of calcium propionate to diets containing aflatoxin B1 appears to be effective in reducing toxicity. Aflatoxin contamination in broiler feed may cause economic losses by lowering body weight gain. Therefore, lower levels of aflatoxin B1 in the chicken feeds should be required if all acceptable risk is to be avoided. Additionally, the risk of aflatoxins in broiler as a food appears to remain very low, although the levels of aflatoxins in human foods should be kept as low as possible to reduce the incidence of hepatic cancer.