INDIVIDUAL AND COMBINED EFFECTS OF FUMONISIN B-1 PRESENT IN FUSARIUM-MONILIFORME CULTURE MATERIAL AND DIACETOXYSCIRPENOL OR OCHRATOXIN-A INTURKEY POULTS

The individual and combined effects of feeding diets containing 300 mg fumonisin B-1 (FB1), and 4 mg diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) or 3 mg ochrat oxin A (OA) were evaluated in two experiments using female turkey poul ts (Nicholas Large Whites) from day of hatch to 3 wk of age. When comp ared with controls, body weight gains were reduced 30% (Study 1) and 2 4% (Study 2) by FB1, 30% by DAS, 8% by OA, 46% by the FB1 and DAS comb ination, and 37% by the FB1 and OA combination. The efficiency of feed utilization was adversely affected by all treatments except FB1 in Ex periment 2. Relative weights of the liver were significantly increased by all treatments except the DAS treatment. Serum concentrations of c holesterol were decreased and activities of aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase were increased and several hematological va lues were altered in poults fed FB1 alone and in combination with eith er DAS or OA. Results indicate additive or less than additive toxicity , but not toxic synergy, when poults are fed diets containing 300 mg F B1, and 4 mg DAS or 3 mg OA/kg of diet. The likelihood of encountering FB1, DAS, or OA at these concentrations in finished feed is small. Ho wever, under field conditions, other stress factors could alter the im pact of these mycotoxins on the health and performance of poultry.