Influence of dietary rice culture material containing cyclopiazonic acid on certain serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens.

Three hundred and forty-eight Vencob broiler chickens were fed diets containing Penicillium griseofulvum rice culture material with 0, 12.5, 25 and 50 ppm of the mycotoxin cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) for 28 days. Serum samples were collected from 9 birds in each group at weekly intervals to study the effect of sublethal doses of CPA on certain serum biochemical parameters. Significant reductions in weight gains (p < 0.01) and feed consumptions (p < 0.05) were observed at 25 and 50 ppm. Exocrine pancreas showed degenerative and necrotic changes in CPA fed chickens. The CPA had significant (p < 0.05) influence on serum total protein, albumin, cholesterol, amylase and lipase levels. CPA did not affect serum glucose levels. There was a decline in levels of total serum protein and albumin in CPA fed groups. But serum cholesterol, amylase and lipase showed dose-dependent increases.