Increased resistance of chickens to acute aflatoxicosis by acclimation to low environmental temperatures

Young broiler chickens were acclimated to environmental temperatures of 8, 19 and 30 degrees C for five weeks. After acclimation, the birds were administered a single oral dose of aflatoxin (8 mg./kg. body weight) by crop intubation and subsequent mortality were noted. Birds acclimated to the 8 degrees C. environment were more resistant to acute aflatoxicosis than birds acclimated to the other environments. Transferring birds from one environment to another at the time of aflatoxin administration had no effect on their resistance to aflatoxin.