Influence of mycotoxins in barley monodiets on growth performance and rats liver histology

Abstract

The presence of mycotoxins in animal feed cause health disorders and can also contribute to other factors such as stress, lack of nutrition, infectious agents etc. The aim of this article was to study effect of feed ration contaminated with mycotoxins on liver histology and live weight of laboratory rats. 15 pieces of laboratory rats were divided into 3 groups (A, B, C). The rats in first group (A) fed with part of 30% mycotoxin-contaminated barley, in second group (B were fed with 60% and in control group (C) were fed without mycotoxin-contaminated barley. Content of deoxynivalenol (DON) was 9634 µg/kg and content of zearalenone (ZEN) was 2192 µg/kg. Barley monodietus were given rats in all groups to induce a nutritional imbalance. The aim of this study was to monitor the effect of mycotoxins and nutritional imbalances on weight gains and liver histology. The question is, "will the presence of mycotoxins in feed dose increase negative effect of a monodiets on health status?" No significant differences were found between the observed parameters. The presence of mycotoxins did not aggravate the negative effect of the monodiets on liver histology of the experimental rats.