Efficacy of advanced chelate technology-based 7-mineral supplementation in mitigating aflatoxin B1-induced impairments in broiler chicken performance and intestinal health.

BACKGROUND

Optimal levels and bioavailability of trace minerals (TM) in the broiler diet are important for improving performance and health status in the presence of dietary toxins.

METHODS

The study examines the effectiveness of advanced chelate technology-based 7-minerals (ACTM) in broilers fed aflatoxin B1 (AFB)-contaminated diets, involving 768 chickens in eight treatments with six replicates, following a completely randomized design. Treatments contained (1) negative control (NC) group receiving a basal diet without AFB and containing recommended inorganic TM (ITM) levels (NC + ITM), (2) positive control (PC) group receiving a basal diet with 0.5 mg AFB/kg and recommended ITM levels (PC + ITM), (3) PC diet + toxin binder (ITM + TB), (4 and 5) PC diet with 50 % and 100 % ACTM instead of ITM (ACTM50 and ACTM100), (6 and 7) PC diet with 12.5 % and 25 % extra ACTM (ITM + ACTM12.5 and ITM + ACTM25), and (8) PC diet with 125 % ITM levels (ITM125).

RESULTS

The results showed that the ACTM100 and ITM + ACTM25 treatments resulted in higher average weight gain and European production efficiency index compared to the PC + ITM treatment, but lower than the NC + ITM treatment. Key indicators of gut health, such as ileal digestibility of crude fat and phosphorus, AMEn value, duodenal villus height to crypt depth ratio, villus surface area, and gene expression of junctional adhesion molecule 2 were significantly improved in the ACTM100, ITM + BT, and NC + ITM groups compared to the PC + ITM group. Additionally, jejunal occludin expression increased in the ACTM100, ITM + ACTM25, ITM + TB treatments, and the jejunal zonula occludens-1 expression increased significantly in the ACTM100 and ITM + ACTM25 groups.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that completely replacing ITM with ACTM or adding ACTM supplement to ITM diets at 25 % extra commercial levels can improve growth performance, gut health, and nutrient digestibility in the presence of AFB challenge. These effects are comparable to diets containing a commercial toxin binder.