A meta-analysis was carried out to study the association of
mycotoxins with performance, productive indices, and organ weights in broilers. Ninety-eight papers published between 1980 and 2009 were used, totaling 1,401 diets and 37,371 animals. Meta-analysis followed 3 sequential analyses: graphical, correlation, and variance-covariance. The
mycotoxin presence in diets reduced (P < 0.05) feed intake by 12% and
weight gain by 14% compared with control group.
Ochratoxins and
aflatoxins were the
mycotoxins with the greatest effect on feed intake and bird growth, reducing (P < 0.05) feed ingestion by 17 and 11%, respectively, and
weight gain by 20 and 11%, respectively. The
mycotoxin concentration in diets and the animal age at challenge were the variables that more improved the coefficient of determination for equations to estimate
mycotoxin effect on
weight gain. The
mycotoxin effect on growth proved to be greater in young poultry. The residual analysis revealed that 65% of the variation in
weight gain was explained by feed intake. The variation in
weight gain of challenged broilers in relation to nonchallenged broilers was also influenced by ingestion of nutrients such as
protein and
methionine. Mortality was 8.8 and 2.8 times greater (P < 0.05) in groups that received diets with
deoxynivalenol and
aflatoxins, respectively.
Mycotoxins also increased (P < 0.05) the relative weight of liver by 15%, of kidneys by 11%, of lungs by 9%, and of gizzard by 3%.
Mycotoxins influenced broiler performance, productive indices, and organ weights. However, the magnitude of the effects varied with type and concentration of
mycotoxin, animal age, and nutritional factors.