INFLUENCE OF FUMONISIN-B(1), PRESENT IN FUSARIUM-MONILIFORME CULTURE MATERIAL, AND T-2 TOXIN ON TURKEY POULTS

Diets containing 300 mg fumonisin B1 (FB1)/kg of feed and 5 mg T-2 tox in/kg of feed singly or in combination were fed to female turkey poult s (Nicholas Large White) from day of hatch to 21 d of age. When compar ed with controls, 21-d body weight gains were reduced 21% by FB1, 26% by T-2, and 47% by the combination. The efficiency of feed utilization was adversely affected by FB1 and the combination of FB1 and T-2. Rel ative weights (grams/100 g BW) of the liver and gizzard were increased in poults fed the FB1 and the combination diets; whereas, the relativ e weight of the pancreas was increased in all treated groups. All poul ts were scored for oral lesions using a scale of 1 to 4 (1 = no visibl e lesions, 4 = severe lesions). Oral lesions were present in all poult s fed the T-2 diet (average score of 3.29) or the combination diet (av erage score of 3.54). Serum concentration of cholesterol was decreased and lactate dehydrogenase activity was increased in poults fed the FB 1 and combination diets. The activity of aspartate aminotransferase an d the values for red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were incr eased only in poults fed the combination diet. Inorganic phosphorus co ncentration was decreased only in poults fed the combination diet. The increased toxicity in poults fed the combination diet for most variab les can best be described as additive, although some variables not alt ered by FB1 or T-2 singly were significantly affected by the combinati on, indicating that the combination may pose a potentially greater pro blem to the turkey industry than either of the mycotoxins individually .