T-2 toxin and disturbed endochondral bone growth in broiler chicken

The ability of T-2 toxin from Fusarium sporotrichioides Sherb in corn culture to induce epiphyseal plate lesions in broiler chicks was tested. One group of day-old male broiler chickens (Hubbard)fed ad libitum balanced diet in which all corn was replaced by T-2 toxin (2.64mg/kg) contaminated autoclaved corn. Another group received the Same diet with mycotoxin free corn, and was used as control. All groups were observed for 7, 14 and 21 days. Despite the different periods and amounts of ingested T-2 (estimated in 0.3 to 1.9 mg/kg), the tibia of treated animals presented defective maturation and poor differentiation of chondrocytes, severe vascular lesions and anomalous cartilage vascular invasion and retarded cartilage erosion with a picture similar to that of early tibial dyschondroplasia. The results indicated that the T-2 toxin produced by Fusarium sporotrichioides Sherb could induce tibial dyschondroplasia in broiler chickens.