Comparative efficacy of mycotoxin binder and herbal mixture on growth performance, nutrients retention, haemato-biochemicals and immune competence of broiler chicken

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of synthetic mycotoxin binder mycotoxin binder and herbal mixture in broiler chicken. A total of 200 day-old chicks were procured and randomly allotted using completely randomised design (CRD) to 4 treatment groups (T1-T4) with 5 replicates each having 10 chicks per replicates. All the experimental birds were reared for 35 days following standard and uniform manage mental conditions. Four iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric experimental diets for prestarter (0-7 days), starter (8-21 days) and finisher (22-35 days) were formulated following BIS (2007). T1 group served as control fed with basal diet, experimental diet of T2 group birds contained Aflatoxin B₁ at 70 ppb, T3 group birds were fed with Aflatoxin B₁ at 70 ppb with synthetic mycotoxin binders at 1kg/ton of feed and T4 groups were fed with Aflatoxin B₁ at 70 ppb each with herbal mixer at 1kg/ ton of feed. Aflatoxin at 70 ppb (T2) significantly (P<0.05) depressed growth performance, and had adverse effect on hematobiochemical parameters, immunological parameters (antibody titre against the NDV) and nutrient retention. Nutrient retention improved significantly (P<0.05) in T4 as compared to T2 and T3. Growth performance in terms of BWG, FI and FCR improved (P<0.05) due to addition of synthetic mycotoxin binder mycotoxin binder (T3) and herbal mixers (T4), however, response of synthetic mycotoxin binder binders was better as compared to herbal mixers. Haematological parameters (Hb, PCV, and TEC) were higher in T3 as compared to T2 and T4, but hematobiochemical parameters like ALT and AST activity significantly (P<0.05) reduced in T4 as compared to T3. Antibody titre against the NDV was lower in case of herbal mixture in comparison to synthetic mycotoxin binder. It was concluded that supplementation of synthetic mycotoxin binder and herbal mixtures reduced the severity of the aflatoxin B₁ toxicity and improved the growth performance, nutrient retention, haematobiochemical parameters and immunity in broiler chicken.