Decreased cell-mediated immunity and lack of skeletal problems in broiler chickens consuming diets amended with fusaric acid

Avian Dis. 1993 Jul-Sep;37(3):863-7.

Abstract

Young female broiler chickens fed diets amended with 0, 35, 75, and 150 mg fusaric acid (FA)/kg diet for 3 weeks showed no aberrations in behavior, feed intake, weight gain, or appearance of the visceral organs. Furthermore, there was no correlation between the dietary concentration of FA and incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia and leg-shape deformities. Ash content of dry fat-free tibiae was not influenced by FA; thus, no rickets was present in these chickens. FA enhanced the humoral response to sheep erythrocytes but significantly reduced cell-mediated cutaneous response to phytohemagglutinin-P.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed / toxicity*
  • Animals
  • Bone and Bones / drug effects*
  • Chickens*
  • Eating / drug effects
  • Female
  • Food Contamination*
  • Fusaric Acid / administration & dosage
  • Fusaric Acid / toxicity*
  • Immunity, Cellular / drug effects*
  • Osteochondrodysplasias / etiology
  • Osteochondrodysplasias / veterinary
  • Poultry Diseases / etiology
  • Rickets / etiology
  • Rickets / veterinary
  • Weight Gain / drug effects

Substances

  • Fusaric Acid