EFFECTS OF FEEDING AFLATOXIN-CONTAMINATED DIETS WITH AND WITHOUT CLAYTO WEANLING AND GROWING PIGS ON PERFORMANCE, LIVER-FUNCTION, AND MINERAL METABOLISM

Ninety-six crossbred weanling pigs (36 d of age, initial weight of 8.8 kg) were used in a three-phase study to determine the effects of feed ing an aflatoxin-contaminated corn (AC) diet (922 ppb of aflatoxin B1) with and without sodium bentonite (clay) on performance, liver functi on, and mineral metabolism. In the nursery phase, control com (NC) or AC was fed in com-soybean meal diets with and without 1% clay for 6 wk . Compared with NC, AC decreased ADFI and ADG (P < .01) and increased serum activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase (P < .01) and alkaline p hosphatase (P < .05). In the growing phase, 48 pigs from the nursery p hase were fed NC but continued on their respective clay treatments for 5 wk. Pigs previously fed AC had higher (P < .01) ADFI and lower (P < .05) gain/feed, serum Ca, K, and glucose; ADG, other serum values, an d liver minerals were not affected by treatments. In the metabolism ph ase, 24 barrows from the nursery phase were continued on the same com and clay treatments for two 4-d total collections of urine and feces. Feeding AC increased (P < .05) P and Na absorption. The addition of cl ay lowered Mg and Na absorption (P < .01) for both AC and NC. Signific ant interactions for many minerals indicated that the effects on miner al metabolism were more pronounced when AC was fed. Serum and liver mi neral concentrations were generally unaffected by the treatments in al l phases. Feeding clay with AC results in partial restoration of perfo rmance and liver function without greatly influencing mineral metaboli sm