Effects of aflatoxin on young turkeys and broiler chickens

The effect of crude aflatoxin (AF) on the growth, performance, and immune response of turkeys and broilers was studied. Crude AF, produced from a natural outbreak of Aspergillus flavus on corn, was ground and mixed in rations to contain either 0, 100, 200, 400, or 800 ppb of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Turkeys (Experiment 1) and broilers (Experiment 2) were used in identical experimental designs. In each, 200, 14-day-old birds were divided equally by sex into five groups of 40 and were fed one of five AF diets for 35 days. In Experiment 1, crude AF greater than or equal to 400 ppb was highly toxic to turkeys. These levels produced signs and lesions of aflatoxicosis as well as a significant decrease in weight gain and feed conversion during 5 weeks. In addition, microscopic lesions, indicative of aflatoxicosis, were evident as low as 100 ppb, and significant decreases in cell-mediated immunity were noted in the 200 ppb group birds. Experiment 2 indicated that chickens were less susceptible to crude AF than turkeys. Neither morbidity nor mortality occurred in broilers. Gross lesions consistent with AF toxicity were evident in birds given 800 ppb and microscopic lesions were observed in birds given 100 ppb. Feed conversion was significantly increased in the 800 ppb broilers only. Cell-mediated immunity, measured by a delayed hypersensitive skin test, was significantly decreased in broilers receiving AF at 200 ppb or greater. Neither humoral immunity nor the development of the acquired immunity to Newcastle disease or fowl cholera vaccination were decreased in turkeys or broilers given AF.