Effect of antibiotic growth promoters on broiler performance, intestinal growth parameters, and quantitative morphology

The effects of addition of bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) or virginiamycin (VM) to a corn-soybean meal diet on broiler performance and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) growth parameters and morphology were studied at various ages during growth and finishing. Male and female birds were killed at 1, 3, 5, or 7 wk of age for gross and histologic examination of the duodenum and ileum. Feeding either antibiotic increased BW and decreased intestinal length and weight at all times compared with control birds. However, intestinal length and weight decreases were greater in birds fed VM than BMD at 1 and 3 wk of age. The only change found in the duodenum resulting from dietary treatment was an increase in the number of villi per unit length in birds given VM but not BMD or control. In the ileum, the muscularis mucosa was thinner in birds given VM than in those fed the control diet. Chicks supplemented with VM had a smaller total villus area and shorter villus height and crypt depth in the ileum than birds fed the control diet or BMD. Physical changes in the intestine of birds given either antibiotic growth promoter, although not the same, resulted in improved performance.