Toxins 2018, 10(8), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins10080312
Effects of Feeding a Mycotoxin Binder on Nutrient Digestibility, Alkaloid Recovery in Feces, and Performance of Lambs Fed Diets Contaminated with Cereal Ergot
Kim Stanford 1,*
, Mary Lou Swift 2, Yuxi Wang 3, Tim A. McAllister 3, John McKinnon 4, Barry Blakley 5 and Alex V. Chaves 6
, Mary Lou Swift 2, Yuxi Wang 3, Tim A. McAllister 3, John McKinnon 4, Barry Blakley 5 and Alex V. Chaves 6
1
Livestock Research Section, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4V6, Canada
2
Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada
3
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada
4
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
5
Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada
6
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, NSW, Australia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 29 May 2018 / Revised: 5 July 2018 / Accepted: 30 July 2018 / Published: 1 August 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control and Post-Harvest Detoxification of Mycotoxins as Strategies to Reduce the Impact of Mycotoxins)
Abstract
As contamination with cereal ergot has been increasing in western Canada, this study evaluated impacts of feeding a mycotoxin binder (Biomin® II; BB) on nutrient digestibility, alkaloid recovery in feces, and lamb growth performance. Forty-eight ram lambs (25.9 ± 1.4 kg) were randomly assigned to one of four barley-based diets: Control (C), no added alkaloids, Control + BB fed at 30 g/head per day (CBB); Ergot, 2564 ppb total R + S epimers (E); Ergot + BB, 2534 ppb R + S epimers (EBB). Lambs were fed ab libitum for up to 11 weeks until slaughter at >46 kg live weight. Both average daily gain (ADG) and gain/feed ratio were greater (p < 0.01) for lambs fed C and CBB diets as compared with those containing added ergot, although dry matter intake was not affected by dietary ergot or BB. Serum prolactin concentrations were two times higher in EBB- compared with E-fed lambs (p < 0.05), although both were lower than in C or CBB (p < 0.001) lambs. Rectal temperatures were greater in lambs receiving dietary ergot (p ≤ 0.001) than in C- and CBB-fed lambs. In a digestibility study using eight ram lambs, treatment with BB increased neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility (p = 0.01). Nitrogen retention (g) was greater (p < 0.05) for lambs receiving C or CBB compared with ergot-contaminated diets. Feces of EBB lambs had 38.5% greater (p < 0.001) recovery of alkaloids compared with those fed E. Based on sparing of prolactin, BB may reduce impacts of ergot alkaloids by increasing their excretion in feces. Accordingly, concentrations of dietary alkaloids, which would not harm sheep, would be increased by feeding BB. View Full-Text
Graphical abstract
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Stanford, K.; Swift, M.L.; Wang, Y.; McAllister, T.A.; McKinnon, J.; Blakley, B.; Chaves, A.V. Effects of Feeding a Mycotoxin Binder on Nutrient Digestibility, Alkaloid Recovery in Feces, and Performance of Lambs Fed Diets Contaminated with Cereal Ergot. Toxins 2018, 10, 312.
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