Role of Lycopene in Reducing the Negative Effects of Aflatoxin B1 and Improving Performance Efficiency in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Lycopene is a natural, fat-soluble red pigment that acts against free radicals from oxidative stress also combats fungal toxins and helps minimize a negative effect. The experiment aimed to study adding four levels from lycopene 50 mg kg-1, 100 mg kg-1, 150 mg kg-1 and 200 mg kg-1 feed to diets containing aflatoxin B1 at a concentration of 2 mg per kg of feed on Productive performance. One Hundred Eighty chicks (Ross 306), One-day-old (unsexed) chicks were utilized, randomly assigned, and divided into six experimental treatments with three replicates (10 chicks per replicate). All diets were designed to fulfill the nutritional requirements of birds guide, feed and water were ad libitum. The productive performance results revealed significant differences (P≤0.05) among the various treatments regarding live body weight (BW), weight gain (BWG), feed consumption (FC), and an enhanced feed conversion ratio (FCR) at 42 days of age. The findings favored groups supplemented with lycopene compared to the control group (T1) and the second treatment (T2), where lycopene was not included. Additionally, there was a notable improvement (P≤0.05) in overall productive performance. traits was directly proportional to the increase in the concentration of added lycopene, which had a clear role in neutralizing or restricting the effect of AFB1 toxins in broiler feeds.