EFFECT OF OCHRATOXIN-A ON SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM-CHALLENGED LAYER CHICKENS

Eleven-day-old chickens received 10(8) colony-forming units Salmonella typhimurium orally for 2 consecutive days. The next day, the 13-day-o ld chickens were given a high dose of ochratoxin A (3 mg/kg) orally. T he number of S. typhimurium in both the duodenal and cecal contents of chickens administered with high doses of ochratoxin A increased signi ficantly when compared with control birds. Ochratoxin A was shown to b e one of numerous fact ors chat affect the susceptibility of chickens to salmonellae colonization.