Effects of a mixed additive based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus rhamnosus on broilers exposed to aflatoxin B1 by contaminated feed

The objective of the present study was to explore the influence of dietary supplementation with a mixed additive (MA) containing a probiotic and anti-mycotoxin (Saccharomyces cerevisiae RC016 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus RC007) and its interaction on the performance and health (biochemistry and liver/intestine histopathology) of broilers fed diets contaminated with aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) at 506 000 ± 22.1 ng/kg. The MA contained S. cerevisiae RC016 (1 × 10⁷ cells/g) and L. rhamnosus RC007 (1 × 10⁸ cells/g) in relation 1:1. A total of sixty-one-day-old Cobb broilers were randomly allocated into four treatment groups with three replicates of 5 birds each for a five-week-old feeding experiment. The experimental diet for each treatment (T) was formulated as follows: T1, a commercial diet (CD); T2, CD + AFB₁; T3, CD + 0.1% MA; T4, CD + AFB₁ + 0.1% MA. The MA improved (p < 0.01) production parameters (weight gain, conversion rate, and carcass yield) and reduced (p < 0.01) the toxic effect of AFB₁ on the relative weight of the livers. In addition, the macro and microscopic alterations of livers and the possible intestinal injury related to histological damage in the presence of mycotoxin were reduced. The use of probiotic MA based on S. cerevisiae RC016 and L. rhamnosus RC007 in animal feed provides greater protection against mycotoxin contamination and is safe for use as a supplement in animal feed, providing beneficial effects that improve animal health and productivity. This is of great importance at the economic level for the avian production system.