Appraisal of the impact of aluminosilicate use on the health and performance of poultry

Abstract

Aluminosilicates are feed additives used for multiple purposes in the poultry industry. Bentonites, zeolites, and kaolins are types of aluminosilicate compounds that appear in the marketplace due to their capabilities as mycotoxin adsorbents and other qualifications. While there are some differences among their efficacies, anecdotal evidence confirms that these additives ameliorate aflatoxicosis and manure ammonia emission, and improve the durability of pelleted diets. Furthermore, these supplements are safe at 0.2%-1% inclusion levels in the commercial diet of broilers and layers and did not have any adverse effects on productive indices, and even promoted birds' performance. Nevertheless, their upper levels, especially in purified diets, caused an unfavorable interrelationship with the adsorption of nutrients and anticoccidials. Overall, the origin, chemical composition, physical structure, inclusion level, and plausible interactions of aluminosilicates with other dietary components are important factors that should be considered before utilizing these compounds in practical farm situations.