Aflatoxin and T-2 toxin were produced from Aspergillus parasiticus and Fusarium sporotrichioides (F. tricinctum) respectively and quantified using TLC. The toxins were mixed with broiler feed to attain required concentrations. Four diets for broilers were prepared diet 1 – basal diet (control), diet 2-basal diet + aflatoxin (1 ppm) + T-2 toxin (1 ppm), diet 3 – basal diet + aflatoxin (1 ppm) + T-2 toxin (1 ppm) + activated charcoal (0.4%), diet 4 – basal diet + aflatoxin (1 ppm) + T-2 toxin (1 ppm) + activated charcoal (0.4%) + yeast culture (0.1%). These four diets were fed to 4 groups of day old broiler chicks with four replicates of eight birds in each replicate, in a completely randomized design for six weeks. Degenerative changes in liver, kidney and lymphoid depletion in bursa of Fabricius, disruption of cardiac muscle fibres, and disruption of intestinal villi were observed on histopathology in birds fed with aflatoxin and T-2 toxin supporting the biochemical study. Activated charcoal (0.4%) showed only partial ameliorative effect on combined toxicity in broilers. Histopathological studies of birds on diet 4 were comparable to those of control group fed on toxin free diet. These results indicate that aflatoxin and T-2 toxin in the diet caused damage to vital organs. The combination of activated charcoal and yeast culture was more effective in counteracting the combined toxicity of aflatoxin and T-2 toxin compared to the activated charcoal alone.
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