According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mycotoxins are naturally occurring fungi-generated toxins that are found in food. These fungi molds are seen on different types of crops and food, nuts, spices, and fruits. Mycotoxicosis in chickens is known to cause severe to fatal health effects. Mycotoxins in poultry are caused by the poisonous effects of the toxins produced by toxigenic molds and fungi. When caused, it affects directly the immune system of chickens thus becoming a dangerous and fatal disease.
Effects Of Mycotoxins in Poultry
The effects of mycotoxins in chickens include direct damage to several organs.
- Impairment in liver functioning by hindering protein synthesis leading to reduced growth, abnormal feathering, and overall well-being as the immune system gets affected considerably.
- Damages kidneys. [The kidney’s main function is to remove waste from the blood and return the cleaned blood to the body.] Damage in the kidneys leads to weakness, reduced feed intake, and poor feathering.
- Weight gain gets affected due to abnormal disruption in cell function leading to mortality.
- One of the major effects of mycotoxin is hampering growth in chickens. Because of decreased weight gain, it takes longer for the chickens to reach their full size and be productive.
- This leads to lower egg production including fewer eggs laying with low quality as their shell thickness and size decreases.
- The growth also gets hampered as the food conversion rate or the feed conversion rate also decreases considerably. Thus, chickens are not able to absorb all the required minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that are required for effective growth and productivity.
- With a lack of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, the immune system weakens making poultry more susceptible to further bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.
- Some of the other general effects that are also observed because of mycotoxicosis in poultry are diarrhea, vomiting, lesions in the mouth and esophagus, and bone deformities.
Symptoms of Mycotoxicosis in Poultry
Mycotoxicosis in poultry symptoms include:
- Lack of reflexes and abnormal wing positioning
- Organ damage, particularly liver and kidneys
- Increased water consumption leading to wet litter due to renal dysfunction
- Haemorrhages, anemia, and severe bruises in broilers
- Immunosuppression
- Diarrhea
- Oral lesions
- Reproductive disorders such as reduction in egg production, egg weight and size, reduced egg shell quality & declining hatchability.
- Skeletal abnormalities and weak bones.
Treatment of Mycotoxicosis in Poultry
Mycotoxicosis treatment in poultry can be done, only if it is diagnosed properly including its cause – bacterial, fungal, or viral.
Apart from medicines and special prescriptions from your local veterinarian, the following are some of the useful preventive care suggestions that can help avoid causing mycotoxin infections in chickens.
- Always maintain dry and humid-free conditions during feed storage to avoid mold growth.
- Regularly check for signs of mold growth in the feed that is being fed to the chickens and poultry in the coop.
- Keep a vigilant eye on the bedding of the poultry for any suspicious mold growth.
- If you suspect, do not wait! Get the testing for the mycotoxin infection immediately.
- Good ventilation in poultry houses helps keep moisture build-up at bay and manages atmospheric temperature within the coop area effectively. All these factors together can mitigate the fungal growth.
Toxoff by Refit Animal Care is a liquid toxin binder for poultry that acts as mold inhibitor and mold killer. It is a widely used feed supplement used as a mycotoxin binder for animals. The special formula of Toxoff includes minerals, high-quality vitamins, and other supplements that are useful to cure rumen dysfunction and help cure liver damage due to mycotoxin. This mycotoxin binder, mold inhibitor, and mold killer for cows, cattle, poultry as well as farm animals is very much useful in the treatment of mycotoxicosis in poultry.
Consulting immediately with your local veterinarian is non-negotiable. Immediately talk to them and strictly follow their instructions to save your poultry from mycotoxin infections. Thus, healthy and nutritional feed supply along with recommended feed supplements are important for the growth, well-being, and productivity of poultry.
