INDIVIDUAL AND COMBINED TOXICITY OF T-2 TOXIN AND CYCLOPIAZONIC ACID IN BROILER CHICKS

The effects of feeding 6 mg T-2 toxin (T-2) and 34 mg cyclopiazonic ac id (CPA)/kg of diet singly and in combination were characterized in ma le broiler chicks from 1 d to 3 wk of age. Body weights were depressed by T-2, CPA, and the combination of T-2 and CPA. There was a signific ant synergistic interaction between T-2 and CPA for relative liver and kidney weights and serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations and a significant interaction between T-2 and CPA for 3-wk body weight s and relative bursa of Fabricius weights, which were less than additi ve. Neither the efficiency of feed utilization nor mortality was affec ted by dietary treatments. Oral lesions were present in a majority of the chicks fed diets containing T-2 with or without CPA, When compared with controls, other variables measured exhibited additive or less th an additive toxicity. These data demonstrate that T-2 and CPA alone an d in combination can cause reduced performance and adversely affect br oiler health. The effects of these mycotoxins may be exacerbated by ot her factors when under field conditions; hence, the potential detrimen tal effects of these two mycotoxins when present alone or in combinati on cannot be dismissed.