The Importance and Effects of Fungal toxins on the Health of Livestock and Poultry
The growing population of the world has extensively increased the need for various food resources. However, the domestic production level of raw materials and the basic sources needed to produce feed used in various branches of the livestock and poultry industry have not grown properly along with its growth. This has led to the purchase of a relatively large portion of the required primary items, particularly cereal grains and some types of meal needed in the production of livestock and poultry feed, from other countries. On the one hand, such materials are obtained from countries exposed to contamination with various fungal toxins, in particular aflatoxins (which are the most important and poisonous type of fungal toxins). On the other hand, raw materials used to prepare feed and prepared feed may be contaminated with a variety of fungal toxins, particularly aflatoxins, due to the climatic condition in Iran, especially in areas with a high density of animal farm units, food storage conditions, and suitability of such places for growing different types of fungi. Mycotoxins, with more than 500 known types, are secondary metabolites that have harmful effects on animal and human health. Aflatoxins, ochratoxin, fumonisins, and zearalenone are the most important contaminants of livestock and poultry feed. Aflatoxins are among the most important mycotoxins, mainly produced by two Aspergillus strains, A. flavus and A. parasiticus. Aflatoxin-producing fungi grow and proliferate on various materials under different moisture and temperature conditions. There are more than 20 aflatoxin derivatives, and aflatoxin B1 is the most toxic form. The toxic effects of aflatoxins on a variety of laboratory and farm animals have been determined in extensive research over the past 5 years. The main effects of aflatoxins on livestock and poultry are reduced performance, liver damage, negative effects on carcass quality, eggshell, milk, and meat, as well as immune suppression. There are reports on their effects on the relative weight gain of organs such as liver, kidney, heart, proventriculus, gizzard, spleen, and pancreas in livestock and poultry.
It seems that the negative effects of aflatoxins on livestock and poultry are also dependent on the dose of aflatoxins and the duration of exposure. There is nowadays an increasing interest in identifying the long-term effects of the low levels of aflatoxins in the diet of farm animals on their performance and production.
Specific effects of some fungal toxins on the performance and safety responses of ruminants and poultry
The Research and Development Department of the Aria Mahroshd Company can produce three-part, five-part, and nine-part toxin binders using state-of-the-art knowledge to reduce the problems of fungal pesticides for the livestock and poultry industry. These toxin binders are presented with various compounds with different formulations depending on the livestock needs and the problems caused by toxins.
Some examples include absorbers such as silicate products (phyllosilicates, bentonite, and zeolite), modified silicates, carbon products (charcoal activated), glucan products, and inorganic polymers.
Types of adsorbents
Clay adsorbents
The adsorption power depends on their chemical structures.
Their absorption capacity can vary from 1 to 2%.
These materials are the most common adsorbent for aflatoxins.
The yeast cell wall (modified glucomannans)
The yeast cell wall is used at lower levels than clay binders.
It influences more widely various species of fungal toxins.
Multicomponent adsorbents
They can be a mixture of clay adsorbents and yeast cell walls, along with permissible edible additives such as activated charcoal and antioxidants.
Dosage in livestock
For prevention: 1-2 kg per ton of concentrate
For treatment: 3-5 kg per ton of concentrate
Dosage in poultry
For prevention: 1 kg per ton of concentrate
For treatment: 3 kg per ton of concentrate
The mechanism of action
With their layer-by-layer molecular shape, phyllosilicate clay structures trap mycotoxins and completely absorb polar fungal toxins. In this product, the yeast wall is composed of protein and carbohydrate compounds, in particular, the sugars that contain hydrocarbon chains of different lengths, with a strong binding affinity to the molecules of toxins, thereby absorbing various fungal toxins with high efficiency. β-glucans and mannans also reinforce the immune system by stimulating immune cells. The results of laboratory and farm studies obtained from this toxin binder show that this compound protects internal organs (liver and kidney), stimulates the immune system, and thus specifically improves the performance by the bonding process and deactivation of major mycotoxins in feed.
