Morphological and biochemical blood composition of broiler chickens under T-2 toxicosis

One of the most prevalent and hazardous mycotoxins for animals and poultry is the trichothecene T-2 toxin, which exhibits high toxicity and resistance to physical and chemical factors, leading to decreased productivity and immune response. Its impact on the organism at minimal and subtoxic doses remains insufficiently studied. In this experiment, chronic T-2 toxicosis was induced by adding a culture medium, on which a Fusarium fungus producing T-2 toxin was grown, to the feed for fattening poultry, starting from the 15th day of broiler rearing. The degree of toxin influence on the broiler chicken organism was assessed based on the results of morphological and biochemical blood parameters studies at 15, 28, 35, and 42 days of broiler rearing. It was demonstrated that the feeding of T-2 toxin to broiler chickens with feed at a level of 200 μg/kg, which is 2 times the maximum permissible level (MPL), causes changes in the morphological composition of the blood and biochemical parameters of the blood plasma in the chickens. A decrease in blood haemoglobin content by 7.46 % was established on the 28th day of the birds' life, with low values persisting until the end of the experiment. Concurrently, an increase in the total blood cell count by 17.32 % was observed due to an increase in the number of erythrocytes on the 28th day, as well as an increase in the number of leukocytes with an elevation in the blood content of heterophils. In the blood plasma of chickens under the influence of T-2 toxin, a gradual increase in total protein concentration was established, exceeding control values by 14.21 % by the 42nd day, with a simultaneous increase in albumin and globulin levels by 14.56 % and 13.96 %, respectively. Cholesterol and creatinine levels, as well as mineral metabolism parameters in the blood plasma of chickens, did not undergo significant changes. The activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase did not show pronounced changes. In contrast, the activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) sharply decreased on the 35th day of the birds' life, by 60.71% and 18.36 %, respectively, compared to the control group. By the 42nd day, the level of AST increased by 22.44 % against the background of a tendency towards a low level of ALT activity, which may indicate a disruption of synthetic processes against the background of hypoxia under the influence of T-2 toxin on the broiler chicken organism.