Production and Egg-Quality Responses of White Leghorn

Layers to Anticoccidial Agents 1

J. E. JONES, J. SOUS, 2 B. L. HUGHES, D. J. CASTALDO,3 and J. E. TOLER4

Poultry Science Department, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0379

(Received for publication May 23, 1989)

ABSTRACT Two studies were conducted to determine the effects of anticoccidial agents on the production
and reproduction of White Leghorns. In Experiment 1, nicarbazin (NCZ) was fed at 0,20,50, and 100 ppm.
Hen-day egg production, egg weight, the egg-yolk DNC (4-4'-dinitrocarbanilide) level, and egg-yolk mottling

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on March 5, 2016
were affected by the treatments. When response was evidenced, the relationship between those variables and
the level of NCZ was basically linear. Decreased egg production occurred from Days 5 and 6 of the treatment
through Days 1 and 2 of withdrawal. On Days 9 and 10 of treatment, the control hens peaked at 92% hen-day
production, while hens fed 20, 50, and 100 ppm of NCZ peaked late-at 90, 82, and 80%, respectively.
Compared to the controls, egg weight was reduced linearly as the level of dietary NCZ increased. The egg-
yolk DNC level increased from Days 3 and 4 of treatment through Days 9 and i0 of withdrawal. Egg yolk
mottling generally increased along with the level and duration of feeding NCZ. If the NCZ was mistakenly fed
to White Leghorn layers, ill effects would be alleviated within 10 days after drug withdrawal.
In Experiment 2, halofuginone (3 ppm), maduramicin (5 ppm), monensin (100 ppm), narasin (70 ppm),
nicarbazin (125 ppm), robenidine (33 ppm), and salinomycin (60 ppm) were fed to White Leghorn hens at the
levels specified in parentheses. Nicarbazin reduced egg production, depressed egg weight, reduced shell
thickness, and caused egg-yolk mottling; but internal egg quality, as measured by Haugh Units, was
unaffected. Halofuginone, maduramicin, monensin, narasin, robenidine, and salinomycin did not have a
meaningful effect on the variables measured when fed to White Leghorn layers.
{Key words: layers, egg quality, mottling, coccidiostats)

1990 Poultry Science 69:378-387

INTRODUCTION albumen into the yolk via increased vitelline

Since 1956, when nicarbazin (NCZ) was
introduced as an anticoccidial agent for poul-
try, many research projects have been con-
cerned with its effectiveness for broilers, but
fewer experiments have been explored regard-
ing its effects on layer or breeder production.
Zeissig (1957) reported that up to 50 ppm of
NCZ had no effect on egg production, and that
up to 100 ppm had no effect on fertility.
However, 10 ppm of NCZ in the feed reduced
hatchability and had a detectable effect on egg-
yolk mottling. Zeissig (1957) concluded that
light-weight hens were affected more adversely
by NCZ in the diet than the heavier broiler-
breeders.
Yolk-mottling induced by feeding NCZ was
reported to be due to a fluid transfer from the
Technical contribution Number 2956, South Carolina
Agricultural Experiment Station, Clemson University,
Clemson, SC 29634-0379.
2
Hubbard Farms Inc., Walpole, NH 03608.
3
Watt Publishing Co., Mt. Morris, IL 61054.
4
Experimental Statistics, Clemson University, Clemson,
SC 29634.
378
membrane permeability (van Tienhoven et al.,
1958). Polin (1957) reported that most of the
mottling caused by NCZ occurred after the egg
had been laid; also, that at least 50 ppm of
NCZ was required to increase the incidence
and degree of mottling above that normally
found. Baker et al. (1956) stated that 60 ppm
of NCZ in the feed caused yolk-mottling and
that egg production as well as egg size were
depressed; also, the yolks were severely
motded when the hens were fed 125 ppm of
NCZ.
McLoughlin et al. (1957) fed 125 ppm NCZ
to New Hampshire layers and observed a
depigmentation of the eggshells plus reduced
egg production beginning in the second week
and continuing for more than a week after
NCZ feeding had been discontinued. There
were no significant differences in egg weight,
shell thickness, or interior quality. Lucas
(1958) found that White Leghorn laying hens
fed 125 ppm of NCZ had reduced egg
production, fertility, and hatchability.
Polin et al. (1956) reported that the
4,4'-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC) portion of the
NCZ molecule was responsible for brown-shell
 WHITE LEGHORN LAYERS AND ANTICOCCIDIAL AGENTS 379
egg depigmentation and poor hatchability; TABLE 1. Layer diet, Experiment 1
further, that after initiation or cessation of
NCZ feeding, DNC in the yolk of eggs laid on Ingredient Percentage
successive days changed moderately for 3 or 4 Corn 68.69
days and then more markedly and linearly with Soybean meal (47.5% CP) 19.20
Alfalfa (17.5% CP) 1.10
time. The maximum concentration of DNC in Poultry fat .50
egg yolks was found in eggs laid 8 to 10 days Limestone 7.30
after the initiation of feeding 10, 50, or 125 Defluorinated phosphate 1.50
ppm of NCZ. Eggs laid 16 or more days after Salt .40
the NCZ had been withdrawn from the feed Vitamin premix1 .25
Mineral premix .05
produced negative assays (<.4 |a.g of DNC per Ethoxyquin .01
g of yolk). Nicarbazin level plus com 1.00
Other, unapproved drugs that could be

contaminants in layer feed include halofugi-
none, maduramicin, monensin, narasin,
robenidine, and salinomycin. No information
was found relating to the effects of feeding
these drugs to White Leghorn laying hens.
However, Kling and Quarles (1986) fed 0, 3,
and 6 ppm of halofuginone to broiler-breeders
and found no decrease in egg production,
hatchability, or chick quality. Sambeth et al.
(1985) reported no effect on production varia-
bles when salinomycin at 80 ppm was fed to
broiler-breeders.
As with all classes of production poultry,
many genetic changes have been introduced in
layers since the mid-1950's. This circumstance
justified a reexamination of the effects pro-
duced by NCZ on production and reproduc-
tion, using a strain of current genetic laying
stock, and prompted an evaluation of other
anticoccidial agents as well.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In Experiment 1, 80 HyLine W36 White
Leghorn layers 17 wk of age were housed with
2 hens per cage (30.4 by 45.7 cm) in a narrow
cage house (beginning in May). The pullets
received natural daylight for approximately 13
h until they were 20 wk of age, when the
daylength was increased to 14 h of light (L):10
h of dark (D). The hens were fed the
experimental diets beginning at 26 wk of age.
A randomized, complete-block design with
two replications was used to evaluate four
dietary levels of NCZ (0, 20, 50, and 100
ppm). The two blocks consisted of four groups
of cages (five cages per group) on each side of
an aisle and opposite each other. The experi-
mental units consisted of 10 hens each. All
hens were fed unmedicated feed (0 level of
NCZ) for 3 days prior to treatment. The dietary
levels of NCZ were fed for 10 days, followed
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Calculated analysis:
Protein, % 15.50
Fat, % 3.20
Methionine, % .28
ME, kcal per kg 2,900.00
Vitamin premix provided (per kilogram of diet): Vita-
min A, 9,900 IU; vitamin D 3 , 300 IU; vitamin E, 12.1 IU;
vitamin B12, 6.6 p.g; riboflavin, 6.6 mg; niacin, 71.5 mg; d-
pantothenate, 15.4 mg; menadione, .73 mg; folic acid, 1.1
mg; pyridoxine, 3.3 mg; thiamine, 1.1 mg; d-biotin, .11 mg;
choline, 660 mg.
2
Trace-mineral premix contained 14% manganese, 12%
zinc, 8% iron, .8% copper, and .21% iodine (as manganous
oxide), zinc oxide, ferrous carbonate, ferrous sulfate, cupric
oxide, calcium iodate, and calcium carbonate as the carrier.
by unmedicated feed (0 level of NCZ) for 14
additional days. The diet is listed in Table 1.
Feed and water were available for ad libitum
intake. Feed consumption, egg production, egg
weight, and the percentage of mottling were
determined for the 3-day pretrearment period
and for each 2-day period during treatment and
withdrawal.
All eggs were collected and marked as to
pen and date. Three eggs per treatment
replication were collected daily, refrigerated,
and shipped weekly to MSD/Agvet5 for a
determination of the DNC level in the egg
yolk. The remaining eggs were broken-out and
were examined for yolk-mottling on a daily
basis. Analyses were conducted to evaluate
changes in response over time for hens fed the
control diet. The average, pretreatment perfor-
mance was used as the baseline for compari-
son. These analyses and mean comparisons (P
= .05) permitted a delineation of changes
solely attributable to the production cycle and
environmental influences. Analyses were per-
5
MSD/Agvet, P.O. Box 2000, Rahway, NJ 07065.
380 JONES ET AL.

formed for each time period to assess the
response to nicarbazin. The variation among
NCZ levels was partitioned using orthogonal
polynomials to gain additional insight about
the relationship (Osde and Mensing, 1975).
Egg-yolk mottling was not amenable to analy-
sis due to a prevalence of zero values.
In Experiment 2, 240 HyLine W36 White
Leghorns were randomly assigned to 120
cages (25.4 by 40.6 cm) in an open-sided cage
house. Eight treatments were replicated three
times in a randomized complete-block design
of 5 cages (10 hens) per experimental unit. At
cin (5 ppm), monensin (100 ppm), narasin (70
ppm), nicarbazin (125 ppm), robenidine (33
ppm), or salinomycin (60 ppm) in the respec-
tive medicated diets for 10 days. The basal diet
was included as a control during the treatment
period and was fed to all hens during the
16-day period during which the drugs were
withdrawn.
The experiment was initiated when the hens
were 26 wk of age. A light regimen of 14 h of
L:10 h of D was maintained. The eggs were
gathered daily during the pretreatment, treat-

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ment, and withdrawal periods of the experi-
least two empty cages were left between each
ment and were marked for pen, date, and
experimental unit to prevent feed crossover.
treatment. Each egg was weighed separately
The feed composition and calculated analy- and men broken-out to determine the Haugh
ses are listed in Table 2. The basal diet with no Units, shell thickness, and subjective scores for
medication was fed for 3 days followed by the
yolk-mottling.
inclusion of halofuginone (3 ppm), madurami-
The same as for Experiment 1, analyses
were conducted to evaluate changes in the
response over time for hens fed the control
diet. The average pretreatment performance
TABLE 2. Experimental diets, Experiment 2
was used as the baseline for comparison.
Layer diets Analyses of variance were performed for each
Ingredient Basal Medicated
time period, and the response for each anticoc-
cidial agent was contrasted with control
("M
V >v> response (P = .05, Ostle and Mensing, 1975).
Corn 57.85 56.35 The tabular values represent the average
Soybean meal, 47.5% CP 28.25 28.25
Poultry fat 2.00 2.00 response for 2-day periods during treatment
Poultry by-product 1.00 1.00 and withdrawal.
Alfalfa, 17.5% CP 1.00 1.00
DL-methionine .10 .10
Limestone 7.50 7.50 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Defluorinated phosphate 1.75 1.75
Vitamin premix .25 .25 In Experiment 1, hen-day egg production
Salt .25 .25 for the control hens was higher during
Mineral premix .05 .05
Anticoccidial agent3 1.50 treatment and withdrawal than during pretreat-
Calculated analysis: ment. The NCZ treatment, though, had a
Protein, % 19.51 19.51 deleterious effect (Table 3). Decreased egg
Fat, % 4.57 4.57 production was evident from Days 5 and 6 of
Methionine, % .67 .67 treatment through Days 1 and 2 of withdrawal.
ME, kcal per kg 2,782 2,782
The relationship was primarily linear between
Vitamin premix provided (per kilogram of diet): vita- hen-day egg production and the level of NCZ.
min A, 9,900 IU; vitamin D 3 , 300 1U; vitamin E, 12.1 IU;
vitamin B12, 6.6 fig; riboflavin, 6.6 mg; niacin, 71.5 mg; d- Zeissig (1957) reported reductions in egg
pantothenate, 15.4 mg; menadione, .73 mg; folic acid, 1.1 production from 68 to 50% and from 65 to
mg; pyridoxine, 3.3 mg; thiamine, 1.1 mg; d-biotin, .11 mg; 40% during the second week of feeding 75 and
choline, 600 mg.
100 ppm of NCZ, respectively. In the present
^"race-mineral premix contained 14% manganese, 12%
zinc, 8% iron, .8% copper, and .21% iodine (as manganous
study, the control hens peaked at 92% hen-day
oxide), zinc oxide, ferrous carbonate, ferrous sulfate, cupric egg production on Days 9 and 10 of treatment;
oxide, calcium iodatc, and calcium carbonate as the carrier. the hens fed 20, 50, and 100 ppm of NCZ
Halofuginone (3 ppm), maduramicin (5 ppm), monen- peaked later-at 90, 82 and 80% egg produc-
sin (100 ppm), narasin (70 ppm), nicarbazin (125 ppm), tion, respectively.
robenidine (33 ppm), or salinomycin (60 ppm) was blended
with corn to make up 1.5% of the respective diet with the The egg weights for hens on the control diet
medicated treatment. increased from 44.8 to 47.3 g during the study;
 3
TABLE 3. Effect of nicarbazin (NCZ) on the percentage of hen-day production for White Leghorn hens, with ANOVA summary. Experiment I X

Treatment, by days Withdrawal, by days

5
LEG

1 and 2 7 and 8 3 and 4 X

NCZ level 3 and 4 5 and 6 9 and 10 1 and 2 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 11 and 12 13 and 14
o73
(ppm) • (%)
1 1 1 1 r
0 75 77' 90 85' 92 92' 77' 87' 82' 87' 90 82' •>
20 50 70 65 80 85 82 90 70 65 70 65 60
YER

50 57 60 70 72 77 82 77 80 80 77 80 82
100 75 75 60 67 62 57 80 77 75 80 72 77
SE 10 11 2 2 5 6 11 12 6 10 10 3 >
Z
Source of variation (ANOVA summary, mean squares) - D
NCZ levels, 3 df 320 120 3462 1212 328 446 71 104 120 104 161 228 2 gH
Linear, 1 df 65 4 6072 3442 981 2 1.2222 7 20 1 4 140 17
m http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on March 5, 2016

Quadratic, 1 df 664 341 1292 18 0 41 8 59 17 134 46 22 O

O
Deviation, 1 df 230 14 302 2 1 3 73 198 234 341 174 298 645 2
Error, 3 df 203 236 12 8 61 83 237 304 78 187 211 20
CCID

'Significantly greater than the three-day, pretreatment average of 60% for hen-day egg production (P<.05).
Significant difference among treatment means (P<.05). >
H
382 JONES ET AL.
whereas, the response to the increasing NCZ
level resulted in a decrease (generally linear) in
egg weight, beginning on Days 7 to 8 of
treatment and continuing through Days 7 to 8
of withdrawal (Table 4). The smallest eggs
(41.9 g) were produced by hens fed 100 ppm
of NCZ and occurred on Days 1 and 2 of the
withdrawal period.
The DNC content of the egg yolks from the
control hens varied from .1 to .7 ^g per g of
yolk, which was an acceptable range for
negative assays considering the inherent ana-
lytical variation (Table 5). There was a linear
response to the NCZ dietary level beginning
on Days 3 to 4 of treatment and continuing
through Days 9 and 10 of withdrawal. The
highest DNC level (22.2 ^g per g of yolk) was
from hens fed 100 ppm of NCZ, occurring on
Days 1 and 2 of withdrawal. These data agree
with those reported by Polin et al. (1956), who
reported that about 10 days of NCZ feeding
are required to produce maximum DNC
concentrations in the yolks, and a similar
period for yolks to become DNC free after the
removal of the drug.
There was no egg-yolk mottling during
pretreatment or for the control hens (Table 6).
Yet, the hens fed 20 ppm of NCZ exhibited
only 11 and 9% motding on Days 7 and 8 of
treatment and Days 3 and 4 of withdrawal,
respectively. The peak mottling, 35 and 81%,
occurred on Days 3 and 4 of withdrawal for
hens fed 50 and 100 ppm of NCZ, respective-
ly, and occurred 2 days after the peak egg-yolk
DNC contents were observed. Mottling was
directly related to the dietary level of NCZ; but
there were no permanent effects since there
was no evidence of egg-yolk mottling 13 and
14 days after withdrawal.
In Experiment 2, the pretreatment hen-day
egg production averaged 92%. Production
varied between 80 and 100% during the study
for hens fed the control diet (Table 7). Hens
fed the maduramicin had reduced production
on Days 9 and 10 of treatment and on Days 11
and 12 of withdrawal. The NCZ treatment
exhibited the only consistent pattern of re-
duced egg production, occurring from Days 7
and 8 of treatment through Days 5 and 6 of
withdrawal. Reduced egg production for the
NCZ treatment was also evidenced on Days 1
and 2 of treatment and on Days 11 to 14 of
withdrawal; but these differences, as well as
those for maduramicin, may be spurious results
attributable to small sample sizes.
The average for pretreatment egg weight
was 52.3 g (Table 8). Throughout the experi-
ment, egg weights generally increased to an
average above 54 g. The only anticoccidial
agent to affect egg weights was NCZ, resulting
in smaller eggs from Days 9 and 10 of
treatment through Days 5 and 6 of withdrawal.
Eggs produced after that period for the NCZ
treatment were similar in weight to the control
eggs.
For hens fed the control diet (Table 9),
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eggshell thickness varied slightly from the
average pretreatment thickness of .336 mm.
On Days 1 and 2 and on Days 7 and 8 of the
treatment period, the average shell thickness
was less than that during pretreatment period;
but from Days 7 and 8 through Days 11 and 12
of the withdrawal period, the shells were
micker on the average. Only the hens fed NCZ
evidenced thinner eggshells than the controls,
and this occurred on Days 9 and 10 of
treatment and on Days 1 and 2 of withdrawal.
Compared with the pretreatment average of
83.3 Haugh Units, eggs from hens on the
control diet exhibited increased values from
Days 5 and 6 of treatment through Days 3 and
4 of withdrawal (Table 10). However, there
was no difference, in terms of Haugh Units,
between the hens given anticoccidial agents
and the control hens within time periods.
The genetic stock studied by Zeissig (1957)
had reduced egg production when NCZ was
fed for 2 wk at 75 and 100 ppm. Levels below
75 ppm had no effect on production. In the
present studies, hen-day egg production was
reduced 35% by feeding 100 ppm of NCZ and
was reduced 42% by feeding 125 ppm on Days
1 and 2 of withdrawal in Experiments 1 and 2,
respectively. These results showed a greater
difference than those of Weiss (1957). He
reported that feeding NCZ (at 125 ppm) for 10
to 15 days reduced egg production by only 8%
and egg weight an average of 5% versus the
controls.
Polin et al. (1958) reported that a minimum
level necessary to reduce egg size was 70 ppm
of NCZ. In Experiment 1, egg weights were
reduced linearly by the NCZ treatments; and
the maximum reduction of 8.5% occurred on
Days 1 and 2 of the withdrawal period when
NCZ was fed at 100 ppm. In Experiment 2,
egg weight was reduced by as much as 10%
when NCZ was fed at 125 ppm.
In 1958, Polin et al. reported a significant
increase in yolk-mottling above the normal
 3=
B
TABLE 4. Egg weight from White Leghorn hens fed nicarhazin (NCZ), with ANOVA summary, Experiment I

Treatment, by days Withdrawal, by days

s
o
X
NCZ level 1 and 2 3 and 4i 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 11 and 12 13 and 14 o
(ppm) z
\& r
0 43.91 45.3 44.6 45.1 45.71 45.8' 45.1 46.3' 46.61 45.91 47.3 1 46.61 >
20 45.0 45.6 45.9 44.6 45.3 45.3 45.6 45.6 48.0 48.1 48.0 47.6
50 43.1 44.5 44.5 42.3 44.1 44.9 43.5 45.7 46.1 46.0 46.8 46.6
100 45.5 45.6 45.7 43.8 42.9 41.9 42.1 42.9 1 45.1 46.8 48.2 48.6 >
SE .5 .6 .3 .3 .6 .9 .5 .2 .2 .5 .2 .3 Z
D
Source of variation (ANOVA summary, mean squares) -
NCZ levels, 3 df 2.3 .6 1.0 3.1 2 3.1 6.3 5.2 2 4.5 2 3.1 2 2.1 .9 2 1.8
m http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on March 5, 2016
Linear, 1 df 1.2 .0 .4 2.72 9.1 2 17.42 14.02 11.62 5.52 .0 .4 2.8 2 n
Quadratic, 1 df 1.6 .8 .1 5.02 .0 1.2 .1 1.2 .6 .1 .6 .7 o
n
Deviation, 1 df 4.0 1.0 2.7 2 1.7 .1 .2 1.6 .6 3.1 2 6.3 1.62 2.0 o
Error, 3 df .5 .7 .2 .2 .6 1.7 .5 .1 .1 .5 .1 .2 5
'Significantly different from the three-day, pretreatment average egg weight of 44.8 g (P<.05).
>
Significant difference among treatment means (P<.05). o
en
z
 TABLE 5. Egg yolk content of 4,4'-dinitrocarbonilide (DNC) for eggs from White Leghorn hens fed nicarbazin (NCZ), with ANOVA summary, Experiment I 00

Treatment, by days Withdrawal, by days

NCZ level 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 11 and 12 13 and 14
(ppm) of yolk) •
0 .2 .1 .2 .1 .3 .5 1 .4 .4 .5 1 .7" .3 .3
20 .1 .4 1.2 2.8 4.0 4.4 3.7 2.5 1.5 .7 .6 .5
50 .2 .9 3.1 5.9 11.3 11.7 9.5 4.9 2.4 1.1 .6 .6
100 .2 1.2 4.9 11.8 21.3 22.2 19.9 12.1 4.7 2.2 .8 .6
SE .1 .2 .4 .3 1.0 1.6 2.3 .9 .6 .2 .1 .1
Source of variation (ANOVA summary, mean a
NCZ levels, 3 df .002 .472 8.92 50.72 172.12 180.92 146.62 52.22 6.42 1.02 .09 .04
Linear, 1 df .002 1.372 26.22 152.02 515.42 542.42 439.2 2 154.22 19.02 2.8 2 .24 .06
Quadratic, 1 df .000 .05 .3 .0 .1 .0 .7 1.8 .0 .2 .02 .05
Deviation, 1 df .003 .00 .1 .1 1.0 .5 .0 .5 .1 .0 .01 .00
Error, 3 df .007 .05 .4 .2 2.0 4.9 10.2 1.6 .6 .1 .02 .02
Significantly greater than the three-day, pretreatmenl average of .2 |lg of DNC per g of egg yolk (P<.05).
O
Significant difference among treatment means (P<.05). Z
rn
C/3

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TABLE 6. Effect of nicarbazin (NCZ) on the percentage of egg-yolk mottling for eggs from White Leghorn hens. Experiment I

Treatment, by days Withdrawal, by days

NCZ level 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 11 and 12 13 and 14
(ppm) (%)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 0 11 0 0 9 0 0 0
50 7 12 6 5 35 17 0 7
100 14 34 47 46 81 67 6 0
 TABLE 7. Effect of seven anticoccidial agents on the percentage of hen-day egg production for White Leghorn hens, Experiment 2

Anticoccidial Treatment, by days Withdrawal, by days

agent 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 11 and 12 13 and 14
(%)
Control 88 95 90 98' 87 1001 95 80' 97 87 97 93
Halofuginone 88 97 92 97 85 95 97 87 97 90 93 87
Maduramicin 82 93 93 97 77' 93 92 85 88 93 87 2 92 x
Monensin 95 100 93 98 88 98 95 97 98 92 97 93
Narasin 93 95 88 95 83 92 95 85 88 87 97 90 r
Nicarbazin 78 2 90 90 622 62- 58 2 772 68 2 88 85 83 2 80 2
m
a
Robenidine 83 95 88 97 95 97 87 93 97 90 100 92 x
Salinomycin 90 95 95 90 80 92 95 97 83 92
o
88 93 70
Z
Significantly different from the three-day, pretreatment average of 92% for hen-day production (P<.05). r
>
Significantly less than the controls (P<.05). •<

9
>
Z
D
>
TABLE 8. Average egg weight for White Leghorn hens fed seven anticoccidial agents, Experiment Z
H
m http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on March 5, 2016
O
Treatment, by days Withdrawal, by days
Anticoccidial 8
agent 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 11 and 12 13 and 14 o
(g) 5
Control 51.01 52.3 51.8 52.4 53.0 52.4 53.2' 53.71 54.7' 55.1 54.81 54.7 >
Halofuginone 53.1 52.8 53.5 54.1 53.9 54.5 55.2 54.7 55.6 55.7 56.4 57.5
o
m
Maduramicin 52.9 53.0 54.0 54.3 54.7 54.6 54.6 54.9 55.1 54.5 55.3 55.2 z
Monensin 52.9 53.2 53.4 54.5 54.7 54.5 55.4 55.4 55.4 55.1 56.1 54.8
Narasin 52.8 53.7 53.5 53.8 54.3 54.3 54.5 55.0 56.6 56.6 56.7 56.2
Nicarbazin 53.1 53.7 53.8 53.1 50.0 2 48.3 2 47.8 2 49.6 2 53.2 55.1 55.9 55.9
Robenidine 52.5 52.4 53.3 54.2 55.6 53.6 54.1 55.0 55.1 55.0 55.8 55.2
Salinomycin 52.5 53.3 52.7 52.5 53.7 53.7 53.7 53.7 54.9 55.1 56.2 56.5
'Significantly different from the three-day, pretreatment average egg weight of 52.3 g (P<.05).
2
Significantly less than the controls (P<.05).
00
 00

TABLE 9. Average shell thickness of eggs from White Leghorn hens fed seven anticoccidial agents, Experiment 2

Treatment, by days Withdrawal, by days

agent 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 11 and 12 13 and 14
(mm) —
Control .316' .335 .330 .326' .340 .335 .339 .335 .353' .346' .3501 .338
Halofuginone .323 .338 .337 .337 .344 .339 .342 .337 .348 .340 .350 .342
Maduramicin .326 .340 .335 .340 .344 .344 .348 .338 .347 .344 .350 .349
Monensin .321 .333 .331 .327 .340 .341 .343 .337 .349 .341 .348 .344
Narasin .325 .341 .339 .331 .336 .332 .338 .330 .345 .337 .346 .339
Nicarbazin .320 .336 .338 .338 .3192 .313 2 .328 .333 .348 .342 .346 .342
Robenidinc .318 .335 .335 .332 .338 .336 .347 .337 .344 .339 .347 .343
Salinomycin .323 .338 .335 .326 .342 .343 .339 .332 .356 .347 .358 .349
'Significantly different from the three-day, pretreatment average for eggshell thickness of .336 mm (P<.05).
Significantly less than the controls (P<.05).
O
z
m

r-
TABLE 10. Average Hough Units for eggs from White Leghorn hens fed seven anticoccidial agents, Experiment 2
http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Penn State University (Paterno Lib) on March 5, 2016

Anticoccidial Treatment, by days Withdrawal, by days

agent 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 10 11 and 12 13 and 14
(Haugh Units)
Control 83.8 84.4 88.9 89.3 86.1 87.7 86.4 82.8 83.5 83.5 83.0 83.7
Halofuginone 86.1 86.2 89.9 90.1 87.9 88.2 89.2 84.8 86.6 88.1 88.6 86.9
Maduramicin 82.8 86.0 90.1 89.9 87.0 88.2 86.6 81.9 82.3 83.9 81.9 82.6
Monensin 85.1 87.9 91.2 89.6 88.5 88.7 88.0 83.8 86.0 86.6 85.0 85.9
Narasin 85.9 88.5 92.0 92.3 90.3 91.7 89.0 84.4 86.6 85.9 84.7 86.0
Nicarbazin 83.7 85.0 87.6 88.6 85.5 86.3 88.2 84.8 86.0 86.4 84.5 85.2
Robenidine 85.1 86.6 89.2 89.1 88.4 89.5 88.5 84.8 85.7 85.9 84.7 85.8
Salinomycin 85.3 87.7 90.2 91.3 87.3 89.2 87.0 84.6 84.8 83.7 83.9 83.1
No significant effect (P>.05).
 WHITE LEGHORN LAYERS AND ANTICOCCIDIAL AGENTS
incidence in eggs stored 7 to 10 days and from
hens fed at least 50 ppm of NCZ. In
Experiment 1 of the present study, the
percentage of mottling for egg yolks increased
with the levels of NCZ, reaching peaks of 35
and 81% on Days 3 to 4 of withdrawal for 50
and 100 ppm of NCZ, respectively.
Weiss (1957) reported that the shell thick-
ness and albumen score were unaffected when
White Leghorn hens were fed 125 ppm of
NCZ. In Experiment 2 of the present research,
there was no decrease in Haugh Units when
125 ppm NCZ was fed at 125 ppm; but shell
thickness decreased on the last two days of
treatment period and first two days of the
withdrawal period. Halofuginone, madurami-
cin, monensin, narasin, robenidine, and salino-
mycin would not be expected to have any
effect on the performance of White Leghorn
layers when fed at the level and duration used
in the current experiment.
In previous work at the Clemson University
Experiment Station, the same anticoccidial
agents were fed to two strains of broiler-
breeders (Jones et al., 1990). Contrary to the
results with White Leghorns, there was no
depression in egg production or in egg weight
when NCZ was fed at 20, 50, or 100 ppm. In
both studies, the DNC content of the egg yolks
increased linearly with the level of NCZ being
fed. Halofuginone, maduramicin, monensin,
narasin, robenidine, and salinomycin had no
meaningful effects on the variables measured
in the present experiment. This outcome differs
from findings by the authors with broiler-
breeders which showed that narasin caused a
reduction in egg weight (Jones et al., 1990).
387
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The present research was partially sup-
ported by MSD/Agvet, Rahway, NJ.
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