Haematological and Serum Biochemistry of Turkey Poults Fed With High Doses of Aflatoxin

The pathological ef ect of dietary aflatoxin on the haematology and serum biochemistry of Nicholas turkeypoults was studied. In a completely randomized design, the poults were assigned into five experimental groups: T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 comprising 16 poults each. T1 was given the control diet containing 0ppb aflatoxin while T2, T3, T4 and T5 had 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 and 0.2mg/kg aflatoxin, respectively in their diets. At the end of the 21-day feeding trial, 2turkey poults per replicate were bled through the jugular venopuncture while 5ml blood samples were collectedforserum and haematology. Serum total protein, albumin and globulin were significantly reduced as aflatoxinlevel
increased in the diet. Aspartate amino transferase (AST) on the other hand increased with increased aflatoxinconcentration, but no trial ef ect (p>0.05) on alanine amino transferase (ALT). The white blood cell (WBC) andmonocytes varied significantly (p < 0.05). However, the packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), red bloodcell (RBC), heterophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils and platelets were not af ected (p>0.05) by aflatoxininclusion in the diets. In conclusion dietary aflatoxin negatively af ected the well being of turkey poults withsuchef ects depending on the dose of the aflatoxin. The higher the dose, the greater such ef ects according to the resultsobtained.