In-vivo evaluation of the adverse effects of ochratoxin A on broiler chicken health and adsorption efficacy of indigenous and commercial clay of Balochistan, Pakistan.

Mycotoxins in animal feed pose health risks and economic losses, but using various adsorbent types could potentially protect animals from mycotoxicosis. The study aimed to assess the effect of OTA on the health of broiler chickens and to envisage the ameliorative potential of clay adsorbents. The objectives of this in vivo study were to investigate the effects of OTA on productivity, biochemical parameters, fecal residues, and the preventive effects of indigenous and commercial clay of Balochistan as adsorbents to alleviate the adverse effects of exposure. Male broiler chickens (n = 160) were treated with 400 μg/kg OTA and 0.5 g/kg clay adsorbent for 42 days, with feed and water available in an ad libitum manner. The amount of OTA in diet and fecal residues was assessed through HPLC. The administration of OTA in the diet, resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) while increasing the feed conversion ratio (FCR) as compared to the control group. Furthermore, no significant (p > 0.05) differences were found between the weight gain of broiler chickens fed without OTA (positive control) and that of chickens fed adsorbent. The group given a diet containing OTA without adsorbents as compared to the control and adsorbent-supplemented group has shown a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the relative weight of the liver, kidney, gizzard, and proventriculus while decreasing the relative weight of the spleen and bursa of Fabricius. Alterations in the levels of serum total protein (TP), cholesterol (CHL), serum urea (SU), enzymatic activity (aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT)), and creatinine were observed in the OTA-intoxicated and adsorbent-supplemented groups as compared to the control group. Adsorbent supplementation resulted in a significantly (p < 0.05) higher OTA content in the faeces. It can be concluded from the results of this study, that OTA intoxication negatively affects the health of broiler chickens, and the clay of Balochistan has shown effective adsorption potential against OTA.