Effects of early chlortetracycline administration and farm clean-up on growth and mortality in broiler chicks

الملخص EN

Three broiler trials were conducted to age of 7-days, 21-days and 42-days, for trials 1, 2, and 3, respectively.

In trial 1, two treatments were used: 1) the control (c) in which chicks received no preventive medication in the form of chlortetracycline (tetracycline HCL) ; 2) preventive medication (m-7) in which one day old chicks were given a preventive course (for seven days) of chlortetracycline at 0.5 g / L drinking water.

In trial 2, three treatments were used: treatments 1 (c) and 2 (m-7) where similar to those in trial 1 ; however, chicks in treatment 3 (m-10) were given the preventive course for 10 days.

In the third trial, four treatments were used, 1) common broiler house clean-out and chicks were given no medication (c-nm) ; 2) common broiler house clean-out and one day-old chicks were given a preventive course for 7 days (c-m7) ; 3) standard broiler house clean-out and chicks received no medication (s-nm) ; 4) standard broiler house clean-out and chicks received a preventive course for 7 days.

Early administration of chlortetracycline did not significantly affect mortality in trial 1, but significantly affected mortality, body weight gain and feed conversion in trials 2 and 3.

House clean out, in trial 4, did significantly affect broiler performance and mortality regardless of early administering of chlortetracycline.

It was concluded that administering of chlortetracycline to one day old broiler chicks and using good clean-out and disinfection measures enhanced performance as evaluated by gain and feed conversion and decreased chick mortality.