Fungal Contaminant of Poultry Feed in Basrah, Iraq

Abstract

Abstract A total of 180 samples of concentrated poultry feed were collected from different broilers, broiler breeders, layers farms and local market of poultry in Basrah province. Feed samples were collected during the period from Sep. 2014 to Apr. 2015. About 10 - 30 representative samples of 1 kg were collected from several locations. They were cultured on Potato dextrose agar (PDA) and malt extract agar (MEA) and then sub cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). Seven genera were recovered from 180 samples of poultry feed .The most genera which recovered were Aspergillus spp. frequency (Fr) 62.77% - Relative density (RD) 52.03%), followed by Penicillium spp. (Fr 47.77% - RD 17.01%) and they were the predominant genera isolated from poultry feed. Fusarium spp. isolates were less frequency and relative density (Fr.1.66%, RD 2.11%). The most frequently isolated Aspergillus spp. was Aspergillys flavus ( Fr 65.48%) and had the most RD (27.55%), followed by Aspergillus niger (Fr. 58.40%, RD14.23%), the less occurrence of Aspergillus spp. was Aspergillus paraciticus (Fr.1.76%, RD0.89%).