Effect of Terramycin and Certain Phenylarsonic Acid Derivatives on the Growth and Intestinal Flora of Turkey Poults

Abstract

Highly significant increases in the weight of female turkey poults were obtained by inclusion in the diet of magnesium 4-hydroxyphenylarosonate and 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenyl arsonic acid. The weight increases caused by including 3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl arsonic acid and 3-acetylamino-4-hydroxyphenyl arsonic acid were not significant. Additions to the basal diet of terramycin alone or in combination with any of the phenylarsonic acid derivatives resulted in highly significant increases in weight. For the most part, weight increases were accompanied by a slight improvement in feed efficiency. The increases in weight caused by terramycin, phenylarsonic acid derivatives or combinations thereof, were accompanied in most cases by a reduction in the pH of the cecal contents. Terramycin, phenylarsonic acid derivatives and combinations of these materials markedly influenced the cecal flora. The effects of the antibiotic and some of the phenylarsonic acid derivatives were similar in many respects. In general, weight increases were accompanied by increases in the lactobacilli counts of the cecal contents. The numbers of aciduric, proteolytic, coliform and enterococci organisms were not consistently in agreement with increases in weight.