Effects of Vitamin A Supplementary in the Feed to Reduce Toxic Effects of Aflatoxin B1 on Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica)

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the efficacy of the antioxidant vitamin A, for reducing aflatoxicosis in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) from hatch to 35 d of age. Sixty Japanese quail chicks were randomly divided into four groups, three treatments and one control. Control group was fed a basal diet while the treatment diets were supplemented with vitamin A (15,000 IU/kg feed), vitamin A (15,000 IU/kg) + low level of aflatoxin B₁ (100 μg/kg) or aflatoxin B₁ (100 μg/kg). The liver was swollen and a bright yellow color; microscopically fatty metamorphosis, necrotic areas and infiltration of polymorphonuclears were observed in aflatoxin B₁ group and was not seen in any other groups. Compared to control, aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) reduced body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion rate (FCR) by 9.3 and 7.6 % respectively. The addition of 15,000 IU/kg of vitamin A without aflatoxin B₁ improved quail growth performance. Dietary vitamin A had affect on BWG and feed consumption (P<0.05) and reduced the toxic effects of AFB₁, addition resulted less toxicity in the liver and kidney than AFB₁ group. FC was found significantly important during third and fourth weeks in vitamin A and AFB₁ added group (P<0.05) FCR was also better than AFB₁ group. The concentration of liver function enzymes serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) increased when AFB₁ was added to the diet, whereas the supplementation of the diet Vitamin A partially decreased this negative effects. These results demonstrate that vitamin A plays a complex role in the process of chemical aflatoxicosis and when added at 15.000 IU/kg in the diet can provide protection against the harmful effects of AFB₁ for experimental period in Japanese quail.