Effects of Long-term Feeding of Graded Levels of T-2 Toxin-contaminated Diets on Performance, Some Lipid Peroxide and Glutathione Redox Status Parameters of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The effect of two different contamination levels of T-2 toxin (1.5 or 3.4 mg/kg feed) was investigated in a 28-days feeding trial on body weight, relative weight of liver and spleen, and some lipid peroxidation and glutathione redox parameters of 14-days old broiler chicken. The results showed that T-2 toxin decreased significantly the body weight at both contamination levels and showed a dose-dependent tendency. Relative weight of liver increased till the end of the trial, while relative weight of spleen was lower at both samplings at lower level of T-2 toxin exposure. Initial phase of lipid peroxidation (conjugated dienes and trienes) was not detected in the liver, but as product of later phase, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances increased significantly, except in the liver. Glutathione content on day 14 was higher in liver homogenate as compared to the control at the lower T-2 toxin contamination level. On day 28 it was higher in blood plasma at the higher and in liver homogenate at both levels of T-2 contamination. Glutathione peroxidase activity on day 14 was significantly higher in liver and spleen homogenates as compared to the control at the lower level of T-2 toxin contamination. On day 28, significantly higher activity was found at both T-2 toxin contamination levels in liver homogenate, and at the lower contamination level in spleen homogenate as compared to the control.The results revealed that T-2 toxin exposure initiates lipid peroxidation and activates the glutathione redox system as well, but the changes were irrespective of the dose- and partly duration of the exposure.

Keywords

• broiler
• glutathione
• glutathione peroxidase
• lipid peroxidation
• t-2 toxin