The Effect of Dietary Aflatoxin on Wild Turkey Poults

Abstract

Aflatoxins, toxic metabolites of Aspergillus flavus or Aspergillus parasiticus, cause poor feed utilization, decreased weight gains, depressed immune function, liver dysfunction, coagulation abnormalities, and death in a wide variety of species including humans. Conservationists have become concerned that increasingly popular wildlife feeding or baiting practices could expose wildlife to toxic amounts of aflatoxin-contaminated grains. In particular, the effects of aflatoxins on the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopova silvestris) are of concern because the conspecific domestic turkey is highly susceptible to aflatoxins. To evaluate the effect of dietary aflatoxin on wild turkeys, four groups of 4-mo-old wild turkeys were fed diets containing either 0, 100, 200, or 400 g aflatoxin/kg feed for 2 wk in September and October 1996. Aflatoxin-fed poults had decreased feed consumption and weight gains as compared with control poults. Decreased liverto-body weight ratios, liver enzyme alterations, slightly altered blood coagulation patterns, and mild histologic changes indicated low-level liver damage. Compromise of cell-mediated immunity was indicated by decreased lymphoblast transformation. The effects were apparent in all treatment groups to variable levels, but significant differences most often were found at 400 g aflatoxin/kg feed. This study shows that short-term aflatoxin ingestion by wild turkeys can induce undesirable physiologic changes; therefore, exposure of wild turkeys to feeds containing aflatoxin levels of 100 g aflatoxin/kg feed or more should be avoided.

Comparative Evaluation of Different Techniques for Aflatoxin Detoxification in Poultry Feed and Its Effect on Broiler Performance

“…Similarly, Verma et al, (2004) reported a significant decrease in the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius when birds were exposed to diets having 2000 ppb AF. Similar reduction in BBR and moderate histopathological changes have been reported in broilers (Giambrone et al, 1985;Marquez and Hernandez, 1995), laying hens (Dafalla et al, 1987), ducks (Sell et al, 1998;Khajarern and Khajarern, 1999) and wild turkeys (Quist et al, 2000) when birds were fed diets having various levels of AF (100 to 500 ppb). In addition, vacuolation of liver cells and cellular depletion in the follicle medulla of the bursa Fabricii has been reported to be produced as an indication of aflatoxicosis by feeding lower levels of AF (100 ppb) over a long-term period of 42 days (Espada et al, 1992).…”

Aflatoxicosis: Lessons from Toxicity and Responses to Aflatoxin B1 in Poultry

“…The effects of AFB1 exposure on North American wild turkeys are similar to, but less severe than those seen in domestic poultry [92]. This difference in response may be the result of genetic changes that occurred during domestic selection, but could also be due to the separate genetic background of the domestic turkey.…”

“…Eastern wild turkeys are more resistant to aflatoxicosis than their domestic relatives [92]. AFBO detoxification is likely a main contributor to the differences seen among turkeys.…”

Interaction of aflatoxin B1and fumonisin B1in mice causes immunotoxicity and oxidative stress: Possible protective role using lactic acid bacteria

“…In a similar manner, LAB and bifidobacteria interact directly with pathogens that may influence host health. In the context of effects upon host immune function from mycotoxins like AFB 1 (Moon et al, 1999;Quist et al, 2000), Jebali et al (2014) demonstrated the immunomodulatory/anti-immunotoxic effects of LAB in mycotoxin-exposed mice. LAB caused an increase in bone marrow cellularity and -esterase + cells that had been negatively impacted upon by the mycotoxins.…”