Investigation on Pancreas Morphology in Turkey Broilers with Experimental Aflatoxicosis В

Abstract

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 on pancreas morphology. Also, the possibility for prevention of toxic effects of AFB1 by feed supplementation of a mycosorbent (Mycotox NB) was studied. Experiments were carried out with 60 7-day-old female turkey broilers (meat TM strain) divided into one control and five treatment groups (n=10): Group I – control (0 mg/kg AFB1 not supplemented with Mycotox NG); Group II (0.5 g/kg Mycotox NG), Group III (0.2 mg/kg AFB1), Group IV (0.4 mg/kg AFB1), Group V (0.2 mg/kg AFB1 and 0.5 g/kg Mycotox NG) and Group VI (0.4 mg/kg AFB1 and 0.5 g/kg Mycotox NG). The duration of the experiments was 42 days. Histopathologically, the pancreatic changes in turkey broilers treated at 0.2 mg/kg AFB1 comprised generalised vascular hyperaemia, interlobular oedema, initial disorganisation and disintegration of glandular acini. Birds treated at 0.4 mg/kg AFB1 exhibited complete glandular acini disorganisation, haemorrhages mononuclear cell infiltrations as well as necrobiotic changes. The supplementation of the feed of groups V and VI with the tested toxin binder reduced the severity and frequency of observed histological lesions (slight interlobular oedema, the disintegration of acinar cells was insignificant and initial granular dystrophy of the cytoplasm of Langerhans islet cells).