Reduction of hazards of aflatoxins contaminated rabbit diets by some plant additives

Abstract EN

The present work was carried out to evaluate the effect of water spinach (WS) on alleviation the toxicity of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) in rabbit contaminated diets.

Forty eight male New Zealand white (NZW) growing rabbits (average body weight 538.8±34.72g) were assigned to 6 experimental groups (8 rabbit/group).

The animal groups were fed the following diets: control diet, control diet + 2.5% dried WS, control diet + 5.0% WS, AFB₁ contaminated diet (300 ppb), AFB₁ + 2.5% WS and AFB₁ + 5.0% WS.

Addition of dried WS led to increase of crude protein, ether extract and ash content of diets.

On the other hand, crude fiber and nitrogen free extract decreased.

The rabbits performance decreased by AFB₁ contaminated diet (live body weight, body weight gain, daily feed intake, feed conversion, digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude fiber, ether extract, nitrogen free extract, total digestible nutrients and digestible crude protein).

Also, the blood hematology and biochemistry impaired by AFB₁.

Addition of dried WS toAFB₁ contaminated diet led to improve rabbit performance and blood parameters which negatively affected by AFB₁.

In conclusion, addition of 2.5% of dried water spinach to AFB₁ contaminated diet can be recommended to reduce the toxic effects of AFB₁ on rabbit's performance.