Evaluation of aflatoxin toxicity in Japanese quails given various doses of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate

In the study, 240 two-week-old quail chicks (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were used. The animals were divided into 8 equal groups: one control and 7 trials. While the control group was fed basal ration (20.69% of raw protein and 3082 kcal/kg of ME), the trial groups were given feed supplemented with various doses of hydrate sodium calcium alumino silicate (HSCAS) alone or with 2.5 ppm of aflatoxin (consisting 78.30% of Af B-1, 14.60% of Af B-2, 4.50% of Af G(1) and 2.60% of Af G(2)). The study lasted 21 d. The feed performance and some biochemical parameters were evaluated on the days 7, 14, and 21, and the histopathology of some organs was assessed on the final day. It was observed that the quails were highly affected by the aflatoxin administered in the feed. The HSCAS administered alone did not cause significant changes in the animals, regardless of the doses applied. The compound protected partly the animals receiving aflatoxin from the adverse affects, however, there was not any correlation between this protective effect and the dose