EFFECT OF GROWTH PROMOTOR (VIRGINIAMYCIN) ON BROILER PERFORMANCE UNDER EGYPTIAN ENVIRONMENT

Authors

1 Animal Health research Institute, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

2 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University Egypt

Abstract

Poultry industry in Egypt is essential since it contributes., to a great extent, in overcoming the meat shortage and provides the consumers with cheap source of animal protein. Growth promotors are compounds given to animals to improve the growth rate and food efficiency. Concomitant with these improvements is a decrease in morbidity and mortality rates. Generally, they are added at low levels to diet less than 55 ppm (O'Conner, 1980). Antibiotics, as growth promo- tors, are added to poultry diets to prevent or control diseases, to stimulate growth and to improve feed efficiency. Among antibiotics which are commonly used as growth promotors in poultry are penicillin, zinc bacitracin, Flavomycin and Virginiamcyin (VG). Virginiamycin has a gram positive antimicrobial activity and its mode of action depends on inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. Virginiamycin has a beneficial effect in producing higher body weight., reducing food consumption and decreasing mortality rates that had been studied among different species of animals, in chickens (Ibrahim, 1988; Lesson, 1984; Miles et al., 1984 a and b; Salah, 1987) in turkey poults (Bruesh et al., 1983 and Harms and Miles, 1984), in rabbits (King, 1971 and 1974) and in ducks (Adams, 1987). The aim of this work was to study the effect of adding virginiamycin, in broiler diets, on their performance and resistance against diseases as well as the farm profitability under Egyptian field conditions.

Main Subjects

Veterinary Medical Journal (Giza)
Volume 39, Issue 2
April 1991
Pages 273-285

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