Probiotics, toxin binders, and plant extracts improve health and immunity of broiler chickens exposed to aflatoxin. The effects of licorice extract ( LE ), Protexin probiotic, toxin binder (Agrabound), and poultry litter biochar ( PLB ) in experimental aflatoxicosis were evaluated. In a completely randomized design, 504 broiler chickens were allotted to 7 treatments and 6 replicates with 12 broiler chickens in each. The experimental groups were as follows: T1) basal diet ( B ) without any feed additive or aflatoxin B 1 ( AFB 1 ); T2) B + 0.5 mg AFB 1 /kg; T3) T2 + 3 g LE/kg; T4) T2 + 6 g LE/kg; T5) T2 + 0.5 g Protexin/kg; T6) T2 + 1 g toxin binder/kg, and T7) T2 + 5 g/kg PLB. Broiler chickens fed AFB diet (T2) had lower body weight gain at the end of grower period and higher feed conversion ratio at the end of the finisher period, whereas inclusion of LE, probiotic, toxin binder, or PLB restores body weight of broiler chickens to that of the control group. Aflatoxicosis decreased total protein, TG, albumin, Ca, and P concentrations and greater uric acid concentration in broiler chickens as compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). As compared with the T2 group, inclusion of 3 mg LE/kg increased serum total protein; inclusion of 3 mg LE/kg, probiotic, and toxin binder increased TG; inclusion of 3 and 6 mg LE/kg, probiotic, and PLB increased serum albumin; and the whole additive decreased serum uric acid of broiler chickens comparing with the control group. Lymphocyte percentage, avian influenza antibody titer, thymus relative weight, and immune response to phytohemagglutinin were decreased in the T2 group, whereas heterophil percentage and heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were increased ( P < 0.05). Aflatoxicosis increased breast meat malondialdehyde concentration, liver enzymes activities, and number of fat vacuoles ( P < 0.05). As compared with the T2 group, all of the additives lowered alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine transaminase activities, breast meat malondialdehyde concentration, and liver pathological damages ( P < 0.05). It can be concluded that all of the additives are capable to decrease the negative impact of AFB 1 on broiler chickens' performance, blood indices, and immunity.

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Colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by potentially pathogenic bacteria and their shedding in animal feces is a fundamental factor for both animal health and human food safety. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of salinomycin ( Sal ), direct-fed microbial ( DFM ), and Ferulago angulata hydroalcoholic extract ( FAE ) against Campylobacter jejuni in broiler chickens in a 6-week pilot-scale study. A total of six hundred and seventy two 1-day-old broiler chickens were equally divided into 6 groups (each consisting of 8 replicates of 14 birds): negative control ( NC ; untreated and uninfected); positive control ( PC ; untreated, infected with C. jejuni ); PC + Sal; PC + DFM; PC + 200 mg/kg of FAE ( FAE200 ); or PC + 400 mg/kg of FAE ( FAE400 ). All these groups (except NC) were challenged with C. jejuni on day 15. The results showed that all experimental treatments improved ( P < 0.05) average daily gain compared with the PC group, and the best value was observed in the NC and FAE400 groups throughout the entire experimental period (day 1–42). The overall feed conversion ratio and mortality rate, as well as the population of C. jejuni (day 24 and 42) and Coliforms (day 42) in the ileum and cecum, were higher ( P < 0.05) in broiler chickens fed with the PC diet than for chickens in the other groups, except those in the FAE200 group. Immune responses revealed that among challenged birds, those that were fed diets DFM and FAE400 had significantly higher IgG (day 24 and 42), IgA (day 24), IL-6 (day 24), and gamma interferon (day 24 and 42) concentrations than the PC group. In conclusion, dietary FAE, especially at a high level of inclusion in broiler diet (400 mg/kg), could beneficially influence the immune status, as well as improve growth performance and intestinal microflora under Campylobacter challenge, which was comparable to those of Sal and DFM supplements.