A study by scientists from IITA and the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, has found that poultry fed with maize treated with aflasafeâ„¢ experienced reduced mortality in addition to other benefits.
Results from the feeding experiment involving 1,020 broilers showed that the use of maize from aflasafeâ„¢-treated feeds reduced mortality rate by 43.9%, feed intake dropped by 10.4%, and there was an increase of 3.3% in feed conversion ratio.
The results show the impact of aflasafe™—a biological control product developed by IITA for controlling aflatoxins.
Produced by toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxins have become a menace in developing countries, contaminating about 25% of grains produced in the region. The aftermath effects of consuming aflatoxin-contaminated grains include stunting in children, liver cancer, and even death.