Zootechnical, bacteriological, and histometrical effects of a combination mycotoxin binder-acidifier in broiler chickens

Abstract

Mycotoxins are present in food and cannot be eliminated even by using modern technological processes in food manufacture; they can cause pathologies and economic losses in the poultry industry. To combat their effects, this study aimed to test the incorporation of a mycotoxin binder (MICOTEC 0.1%) associated with an acidifier (TECAVIAR 0.1%), both marketed in Algeria, in the feed distributed to broilers. During this study, a beneficial effect was found in subjects consuming the supplemented food compared to the control subjects. In addition to the significant decrease in mortality (51.47%), test subjects showed an average weight of 3308.1 g, which was significantly higher than control subjects (2876.25 g). The data revealed a significant reduction in the number of total and faecal coliforms, with prevalence ranging from 3.1 to 36.5% vs 63.2 to 96.9% for the control group. An increase in the length of the small intestine (24.13 cm), increase in the weight of the Fabricius bursa (FB; 1.25 g), weight of the gizzard (10.25 g) and finally an increase in the weight of the wishbone (153.87 g) were recorded in the test subjects. The results indicate that the association of mycotoxin binder-acidifier in broiler chickens can improve growth performance. Further experiments are required to confirm more effects (with different doses, different strains, and other organs).