Efficacy of bentonite clay in ameliorating aflatoxicosis in piglets fed aflatoxin contaminated diets

The efficacy of locally produced bentonite was evaluated with respect to ameliorating the adverse effects of aflatoxins (AF) in piglets fed AF contaminated diets. Forty eight piglets were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: 1) 0 g of bentonite and 0 mu g AF/kg feed (control); 2) 4 g of bentonite plus 200 mu g AF/kg feed (AF+Bento 4); 3) 5 g of bentonite plus 200 mu g AF/kg feed (AF+Bento 5) and 4) 0 g of bentonite plus 200 mu g AF/kg feed (AFA). Piglets in the AFA treatment had lower overall average daily weight gain (ADG), feed conversion efficiency, albumin (ALB) and total protein (TP) compared to the control diet, while mean serum leukocyte and enzyme activities (glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphate (ALP) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH)) were significant increased. The inclusion of bentonite at 0.4% or 0.5% in the AF contaminated diet restored the lower performance, feed efficiency and abnormal blood profiles of the piglets given AF and no differences between 0.4 and 0.5% inclusion of bentonite. The findings in the present study provide critically needed confirmation that bentonite has the ability to reduce the adverse effects of AF.