The effects of aflatoxin B1 and silymarin-containing milk thistle seeds on ileal morphology and digestibility in broiler chickens

This study investigated the effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and milk thistle seed (MTS) on some apparent ileal morphology and digestibility variables in the small intestines of broilers. A total of 216 Ross 308 male broiler chickens were allocated in a 3x3 factorial arrangement of the treatments with three concentration of AFB1 (0, 250, and 500 ppb) and three levels of MTS (0, 5, and 10 g kg-1). On day 35, the birds that received diets with 500 ppb of AFB1 alone (main effect) showed significant decrease in apparent ileal digestibility [dry matter (DM; 72.46±0.27), calcium (Ca; 40.81±1.11), crude protein (CP; 29.42±1.89), apparent digestible energy (2653±58.82)], ileal morphology [villus length (VL; 822.5±7.47), villus width (VW; 90.16±2.17) and ratio of VL to crypt depth (VL/CD; 4.74±0.07)] in their ileum segments (P<0.01). However, the mean nitrogen (N; 61.39±0.48) and crypt depth (CD; 173.5±9.87), in the ileum were significantly greater for the birds that were fed with 500 ppb AFB1 alone in their diets when compared with the control (P<0.01). Also, thistle seeds can ameliorate the toxic effects of AFB1 on some ileal digestibility factors, that is, DM, N, Ca, and CP, in broiler chicks. Nevertheless, ileum morphology of VW and goblet cell numbers were not affected negatively by the AFB1 plus MTS in diets. The results of this study indicated that the use of MTS independently reduced the toxic effects of AFB1, facilitated the absorption of nutrients, and reduced the metabolic demands of the intestinal tract in broiler chickens.