SHORT COMMUNICATION
Effect of Dietary Sodium Bentonite Supplement
on Microbial Contamination of Mink Feed
Bożena Nowakowicz-Dębek, Łukasz Wlazło
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Department of Animal and Environmental Hygiene, University of Life Sciences in Lublin,
Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2011;20(4):1103-1106
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ABSTRACT
Our research material involved Mustela neovison mink feed collected at a farm during two feeding seasons:
in preparation for animal reproduction and winter fur coat development. The feed was divided into 3
treatment groups – the control with no bentonite supplement and 2 others with dietary sodium bentonite additive
at doses of 1% and 1.5% of weighed feed portion. The material was studied for total count of aerobic
mesophilic bacteria, total fungal numbers, hemolyzing streptococci, and Salmonella rods. The analyzed material
did not show the presence of hemolyzing streptococci or Salmonella rods that evidences good sanitary
condition of feed. The highest percentage of microbial reduction was determined in the feed samples obtained
from the period of animal preparation for reproduction.