INDIVIDUAL AND COMBINED EFFECTS OF MONILIFORMIN PRESENT IN FUSARIUM-FUJIKUROI CULTURE MATERIAL AND AFLATOXIN IN BROILER CHICKS

The individual and combined effects of feeding diets containing 100 mg moniliformin (M) and 3.5 mg aflatoxins (AF)/kg of diet were evaluated in male broiler chicks from day of hatch to 3 wk of age. When compare d with controls, BW gains were reduced 29% by M, 13% by AF, and 33% by the M and AF combination. The efficiency of feed utilization was adve rsely affected by M independent of AF. Feeding M resulted in decreased relative weights of the bursa of Fabricius and increased relative wei ghts of the heart, increased serum concentrations of creatinine and ca lcium, increased activities of alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminot ransferase, and changes in hematological values. Feeding AF resulted i n increased relative weights of the kidney and heart, decreased serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, cholesterol, and calcium, an d decreased mean corpuscular volume. Feeding the combination of M and AF resulted in increased relative weights of the heart, decreased seru m concentrations of total protein, albumin, and inorganic phosphorus, increased concentrations of creatinine and activity of alanine aminotr ansferase, and changes in hematological values. Results indicate addit ive or less than additive toxicity, but not toxic synergy, for most pa rameters when chicks are fed diets containing the combination of 100 m g M and 3.5 mg AF/kg of diet. The likelihood of encountering these hig h concentrations of these mycotoxins in finished feed is small; howeve r, additional data on the naturally occurring concentrations of M are necessary before the importance of this mycotoxin to the poultry indus try can be assessed.