ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE October 2023 41 such as FB1 and ochratoxins A (OTA), is that they alter the barrier function of the intestinal epithelium, which is measured as a decrease in the transepithelial electrical resistance. It is likely that the environment surrounding the tight junctions is somehow altered by continuous exposure to FB1 (Bouhet et al., 2004; McLaughlin et al., 2004). Poults fed grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins had decreased villus height in the duodenum and decreased villus height and villus surface in the jejunum during the starter period. In turkeys fed the same diet contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins, the width and villus surface of the duodenum, villus height and surface of the jejunum and submucosal thickness of ileum decreased during the grower phase (Girish and Smith, 2008). Broilers fed diets contaminated with 0.5 mg deoxynivalenol (DON)/kg had shorter and thinner villi, which resulted in lighter small intestines compared to birds fed control diets (Awad et al., 2006). Weaver et al., 2020 investigated the impact of chronic intake of naturally multi-mycotoxin-contaminated feed (aflatoxin B1, DON, 3-DON, 15DON, HT-2 toxin, fusaric acid and fumonisins) with or without titers of yeast cell wall extract (YCWE; Mycosorb A+®) on day-old male Cobb chicks. This study suggests that broiler performance and intestinal health are impacted by chronic intake of naturally occurring multi-mycotoxin-contaminated feed. Broilers fed YCWE during the mycotoxin challenge had improved performance, gut health and efficiency over 42 days. These results indicate that YCWE, particularly at 0.2%, provided a protective effect against mycotoxins and improved production efficiency metrics (Figure 1–4). MYCOTOXIN IMPACT ON GUT BIOCHEMISTRY Aflatoxins fed to broiler chickens decreased pancreatic secretions, whereas aflatoxins fed to layers Figure 1–4. Effects of Fusarium mycotoxins on villus height (1), crypt depth (2), villus depth to crypt ratio (3) and goblet cell count of broiler chicks (4) (day 21 and 42). Significant contrasts between treatments were noted (* p-value < 0.05; ** p-value < 0.01; *** p-value < 0.001).
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