Effi cacy of Dietary Selenium to Counteract Toxicity of Deoxynivalenol in Growing Broiler Chickens

Faixová Z, Š. Faix, R. Bořutová, Ľ. Leng: Effi cacy of Dietary Selenium to Counteract Toxicity of Deoxynivalenol in Growing Broiler Chickens. Acta Vet. Brno 2007, 76: 349-356. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of deoxynivalenol on plasma indicators and effi cacy of dietary selenium to counteract toxicity of deoxynivalenol in growing broiler chicks. Three groups of broilers were formed with 14 birds in each group. Three diets included control (0.2 ppm deoxynivalenol, 0.4 mg selenium/kg diet), deoxynivalenol-contaminated (3 ppm deoxynivalenol, 0.4 mg selenium/kg diet) and deoxynivalenol-contaminated (3 ppm deoxynivalenol) plus selenium-enriched yeast (1.4 mg selenium/kg diet). After 6 weeks of feeding all birds were sacrifi ced and blood samples for chemical analyses were collected. Plasma calcium, chloride and alanine aminotransferase activity were signifi cantly elevated and magnesium, total proteins, triglycerides and free glycerol were decreased in chicks fed deoxynivalenol-contaminated diet compared with those fed the control diet. Supplementation of selenium-enriched yeast to the diet reversed plasma levels of calcium, magnesium and alanine aminotransferase activity in chicks induced by dietary deoxynivalenol. Phosphorus, albumin and cholesterol levels and alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were not affected by diets. The inclusion of selenium to DON-contaminated diet, however, did not completely alleviate toxic effect on protein and lipid metabolism by the liver. Supplementation of selenium-enriched yeast product counteracted most of the plasma indicator alterations caused by deoxynivalenol-contaminated diet in chicks. Deoxynivalenol, chicken, plasma indices, selenium-enriched yeast Fusarium species occur widely on plants. They are found in a variety of agricultural products mainly on corn, wheat and other cereal grains for human and animal consumption. Although more than 100 Fusarium mycotoxins are known, those fusariotoxins of most concern based on toxicity and occurrence on a worldwide basis are trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisins and moniliformin. Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most prevalent trichothecene in crops used for food and feed production. Toxic effects of DON on animals have been well documented and concern mainly the immune system and the gastrointestinal tract (Rotter et al. 1996). The toxicity of DON is thought to be due to inhibition of protein synthesis and cytotoxicity was reported in a variety of cells (Parent-Massin 2004). Trichothecenes are also known to interfere with the metabolism of membrane phospholipids and to increase liver lipid peroxides in vivo (Mezes et al. 1999). The sensitivity to DON varies considerably between species. Poultry are more sensitive to DON than ruminants but less sensitive than pigs. In order to avoid mycotoxicosis, several strategies have been investigated. The most frequently applied method for protecting animals against mycotoxicosis is the utilization of adsorbants mixed with the feed which are supposed to bind mycotoxins effi ciently in the gastrointestinal tract. Many compounds have been tested for adsorptive effects on mycotoxins, but only few have proven successful (Swamy et al. 2002; Dvorska and Surai 2004; Diaz et al. 2005). ACTA VET. BRNO 2007, 76: 349-356; doi:10.2754/avb200776030349 Address for correspondence: Doc. MVDr. Zita Faixová, PhD. Department of Pathology, Physiology and Genetics University of Veterinary Medicine in Košice Komenského 73 041 81 Košice, Slovak Republic Phone: +421 915 984 704 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.vfu.cz/acta-vet/actavet.htm