4,4′-Dinitrocarbanilide in Egg Yolks from Hens Fed Nicarbazin

NICARBAZIN, an equimolecular complex of 4,4′-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC) and 2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine, is an effective therapeutic agent against coccidiosis in chickens (Chuckler, Malanga, Basso and O’Neill, 1955; Cuckler, Malanga and Ott, 1956). When laying hens consume feed containing as little as 0.001 percent nicarbazin, adverse effects upon hatchability have been noted (Ott, Kuna, Porter, Cuckler and Fogg, 1955; Ott, Dickinson and Peterson, 1956). Furthermore, production of light-colored or white eggs by hens which normally lay brown eggs has been observed (McClary, 1955; Ott et al., 1955) when the birds are fed diets containing at least 0.005 percent nicarbazin (Ott et al., 1955). The DNC portion of nicarbazin is responsible for the drug’s effects upon shell color and hatchability, and is found in egg yolks from hens which consume medicated feed. Data are presented in this paper which show the relationship of DNC concentrations in yolks to percent nicarbazin in feed, and duration of …