Prosopis farcta biochar neutralizes aflatoxin B1 and enhances health and productivity in quails

This study explored the potential of Prosopis farcta biochar in mitigating the adverse effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination in quails. In vitro experiments demonstrated the superior AFB1 adsorption capacity of P. farcta biochar compared to other biochar types. A 28-day feeding trial was conducted on 500 one-week-old quails, divided into five groups: (1) Negative Control (NC): Basal diet without AFB1 or additives, (2) Positive Control (PC): Basal diet contaminated with AFB1 at 2.5 mg/kg, (3) PC + Mycofix Plus 5.0 (PC + MP): PC diet supplemented with Mycofix Plus 5.0 (a commercial toxin binder) at 1000 mg/kg, (4) PC + Biochar (PC + BC): PC diet supplemented with biochar derived from P. farcta at 10 g/kg, and (5) PC + BC + Lactobacillus fermentum (PC + BC + LF): PC diet supplemented with biochar and Lactobacillus fermentum (1 × 109 CFU/kg). The results showed that biochar supplementation significantly improved growth performance, immune function, liver health, and serum lipid profile in quails exposed to AFB1 (P < 0.05). Additionally, biochar increased the prevalence of beneficial gut microbiota while reducing harmful bacteria. The combination of biochar and L. fermentum as feed additive demonstrated the most promising results in alleviating the harmful effects of aflatoxin B1 on bone health of growing quails. These findings highlight the potential of P. farcta biochar as an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and promising strategy for mitigating aflatoxicosis in poultry production.