The Effect of Nicarbazin on Reproduction in White Rock Breeder Hens

NICARBAZIN—a molecular complex of 4, 4′-dinitrocarbanilide and 2-hydroxy-4, 6-dimethylpyrimidine—became widely used during 1955 as a coccidiostat for starting and growing chicks. Barber (1955) showed that Nicarbazin fed at a level of 0.015% prevented mortality due to E. tenella and that weight gains of chicks fed this material were normal when they were exposed to either E. tenella or E. acervulina. Higgins (1955) found that chicks fed Nicarbazin at the 0.015% level successfully withstood a challenge from a mixed culture of E. tenella, E. acervulina and E. necatrix. In his studies, the chicks were fed the Nicarbazin for one or two days before they were challenged with the coccidia. Ott and co-workers (1955) found that Nicarbazin, at levels between 0.01% and 0.02% permitted optimal growth and feed utilization in young chickens and did not interfere with sexual maturity, egg production and fertility in adult chickens. They reported, however, that …