Some Effects of Arsanilic Acid and/or Penicillin upon Egg Production

MOREHOUSE (1949) reported that 3-nitro 4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid at .0025% concentration in the drinking water for growing pullets improved growth, shortened the time required for sexual maturity and increased egg production for the first laying year. Later Morehouse (1954) reported that 90 ppm. of 3-nitro 4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid in the diet also showed the same effects on growth, sexual maturity and egg production but had little effect upon hatchability. On the other hand, Libby et al. (1953) reported that arsanilic acid at 90 gm./ton of feed had no effect upon egg production, whereas at 180 gm./ton egg production was improved. This latter improvement, however, was mostly attributed to low production during the pretreatment period. These workers also reported arsanilic acid to have no effect upon hatchability or progeny growth. Their particular interest was in the possibility of arsenic being toxic and the extent of arsenic deposition in eggs and body tissues. In . . .