Comparison of the Effects of Probiotic, Curcumin and Sodium Bentonite on Production Performance, Egg Quality, Intestinal Morphology, Microbial Population, and Gene Expression in Laying Japanese Quails Challenged with Aflatoxin B۱

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of probiotic (Pro), curcumin (Cur), and sodium bentonite (SB) to alleviate the toxic effects of aflatoxin B۱ (AFB۱) on performance, egg quality, intestinal morphology, gut microbiota, and hepatic gene expression in laying Japanese quails. A total of ۴۲۰ ۳۷-day-old laying quails were randomly allocated into ۷ treatment groups, with ۶ replicates, each of ۱۰ quails for ۷ weeks. The treatments were: ۱) Control, ۲) Control + AFB۱ (۱۰۰ μg/kg), ۳) Control + AFB۱ + Pro (۰.۵ g/kg), ۴) Control + AFB۱ + Cur (۱۰۰ mg/kg), ۵) Control + AFB۱ + SB (۳ g/kg), ۶) Control + AFB۱ + Pro (۰.۵ g/kg) + Cur (۱۰۰ mg/kg), ۷) Control + AFB۱ + Pro (۰.۵ g/kg) + SB (۳ g/kg). The addition of dietary supplements, especially the combination of Pro + Cur or SB, ameliorated the adverse effects of AFB۱-contaminated diets on egg production, egg weight, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The dietary inclusion of supplements resulted in higher shell thickness and shell weight compared to the control + AFB۱ group (P < ۰.۰۵). Villus height, villus height: crypt depth and villus surface area of the jejunum were increased by dietary inclusion of Pro, Cur, and SB in contaminated diets. However, the effects on these parameters were more pronounced in birds that received a combined of Pro + Cur (P < ۰.۰۵). The combined supplementation of Pro + Cur or SB in AFB۱-contaminated diets synergistically increased the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the ileum and reduced the coliform and C. perfringens counts in the ileum and cecum, respectively (P < ۰.۰۵). Serum hepatic indices were improved by Pro, Cur, and SB, but a further increase in antioxidant enzymes and reduction in AST and MDA were observed by combination of Pro + Cur (P < ۰.۰۵). Increased expression of AHR۱ and CYP۱A۱ genes due to AFB۱ was alleviated by supplements. However, there was a synergistic effect of Pro + Cur in the down-regulation of these genes. Overall, these results showed that although dietary Pro, Cur, and SB may ameliorate the toxicity of AFB۱, the synergistic effects of Pro + Cur or SB may further mitigate the AFB۱-induced toxicity.

Keywords:

Probiotic , Curcumin , Aflatoxin B۱ , Performance , Japanese quail , Sodium bentonite