The effect of chronic feeding of diacetoxyscirpenol and T-2 toxin on performance, health, small intestinal physiology and antibody production in turkey poults

Br Poult Sci. 2003 Mar;44(1):46-52. doi: 10.1080/0007166031000085373.

Abstract

1. The effects of feeding T-2 toxin or diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) at levels up to 1 ppm for 32 d on performance, health, small intestinal physiology and immune response to enteral and parenteral immunisation were examined in young poults. 2. Slight improvement in growth was observed in some groups of poults fed T-2 or DAS mycotoxins for 32 d, with no change in feed efficiency. Feeding both T-2 and DAS resulted in oral lesions which had maximal severity after 7-15 d. 3. Mild intestinal changes were observed at 32 d but no pathological or histopathological lesions were found. Both mycotoxins altered small intestinal morphology, especially in the jejunum where villi were shorter and thinner. In addition, both DAS and T-2 mycotoxins enhanced the proportion of proliferating cells both in the crypts and along the villi. Migration rates were reduced in the jejunum of poults fed T-2 toxin but did not change in the duodenum or in poults fed DAS. 4. No significant effects of T-2 or DAS were observed on antibody production to antigens administered by enteral or parenteral routes. 5. This study indicates that tricothecene toxins at concentrations of up to 1 ppm for more than 30 d influenced small intestinal morphology but did not affect growth or antibody production.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animal Feed*
  • Animals
  • Antibody Formation / drug effects*
  • Diet
  • Intestinal Mucosa / drug effects
  • Intestinal Mucosa / physiology*
  • Intestine, Small / drug effects
  • Intestine, Small / physiology*
  • Jejunum / drug effects
  • Jejunum / physiology
  • Microvilli / drug effects
  • Microvilli / physiology
  • Mycotoxins / administration & dosage
  • Mycotoxins / pharmacology
  • T-2 Toxin / administration & dosage
  • T-2 Toxin / pharmacology*
  • Trichothecenes / administration & dosage
  • Trichothecenes / pharmacology*
  • Turkeys

Substances

  • Mycotoxins
  • Trichothecenes
  • T-2 Toxin
  • diacetoxyscirpenol