Effect of aflatoxin B1 on digestibility and blood parameters in horses

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of mycotoxins on the digestion of nutrients and on the hematological profile of horses. Twelve horses were used in a completely randomized design, with three treatments and four replicates. Aliquots of 50 or 100 µg kg-1 of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) were added to a basal diet naturally containing mycotoxins. The basal diet did not contain AFB1. The 40-day evaluation included a 12-day adaptation period and a 28-day experimental period. A digestion test was carried out at the end of the experimental period, using the partial stool collection method, using LIPE® as an indicator. Blood samples were collected once a week during 4 weeks of the essay for hematological and biochemical evaluations. The amounts of mycotoxins added did not influence the intake and digestibility of the nutrients (P>0.05). The aflatoxins in the diet influenced the white blood cell count, especially mature neutrophils and the creatine kinase and alkaline phosphatase (P <0.05), which had higher activity in horses fed diets with greater toxicity.