Clay minerals as sorbents for mycotoxins in lactating goat’s diets: Intake, digestibility, blood chemistry, ruminal fermentation, milk yield and composition, and milk aflatoxin M1 content

Abstract We assessed the effect of bentonite and montmorillonite, as sorbents, on feed utilization, lactation performance, and mycotoxin concentrations in milk. During the first week of lactation, fifteen lactating crossbred (Nubian × Baladi) goats weighing 20.5 ± 0.5 kg were randomly assigned to three treatments (five does each) in a complete randomized design for a 90-day trial with repeated measures. Goats were stratified according to parity and expected average milk yield to be fed daily with one of three diets: a basal diet containing 600 g concentrates and 400 g berseem hay (Control treatment), or the control diet supplemented with bentonite clay at 20 g/kg dry matter (DM) concentrate (Bentonite treatment), or the control diet supplemented with montmorillonite clay at 20 g/kg DM concentrate (Montmorillonite treatment). The basal diet used in all treatments was naturally contaminated with aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) at 56.7 μg/kg and zearalenone (ZEN) at 112.5 μg/kg. Additives had no effect on nutrient intake but increased ( P P P P P 1 and ZEN concentrations were decreased ( P P P 1 ( P 1 (AFM 1 ) in milk ( P 1 in milk, resulting in improving the health benefit of milk for consumers.