ABSTRACT The current experiment was conducted to
determine the effect of mycotoxin-contaminated diets
with aflatoxin (AFLA) and deoxynivalenol (DON) and
dietary inclusion of deactivation compound on layer
hen performance during a 10-wk trial. The experimental
design consisted of a 4 × 2 factorial with 4 toxin levels:
control, low (0.5 mg/kg AFLA + 1.0 mg/kg DON),
medium (1.5 mg/kg AFLA + 1.5 mg/kg DON), and
high (2.0 mg/kg AFLA + 2.0 mg/kg DON) with or
without the inclusion of deactivation compound. Three
hundred eighty-four 25-wk-old laying hens were randomly
assigned to 1 of the 8 treatment groups. Birds
were fed contaminated diets for a 6-wk phase of toxin
administration followed by a 4-wk recovery phase,
when all birds were fed mycotoxin-free diets. Twelve
hens from each treatment were subjected to necropsy
following each phase. Relative liver and kidney weights
were increased (P < 0.05) at the medium and high toxin
levels following the toxin phase, but the deactivation
compound reduced (P < 0.05) relative liver and kidney
weights following the recovery period. The high toxin
level decreased (P < 0.05) feed consumption and egg
production during the toxin period, whereas the deactivation
compound increased (P < 0.05) egg production
during the first 2 wk of the toxin phase. Egg weights
were reduced (P < 0.05) in hens fed medium and high
levels of toxin. An interaction existed between toxin
level and deactivation compound inclusion with regard
to feed conversion (g of feed/g of egg). High inclusion
level of toxins increased feed conversion compared with
the control diet, whereas deactivation compound inclusion
reduced feed conversion to a level comparable
with the control. These data indicate that deactivation
compound can reduce or eliminate adverse effects of
mycotoxicoses in peak-performing laying hens.