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Studies on the Effect of Antibiotics on the Intestinal Weights of Chicks¹

Department of Poultry Science, North Carolina State College, Raleigh

The results of the experiments presented in this report indicate that the small intestine is more sensitive to the antibiotics used than is the whole body as reflected by body weight because (1) the small intestine decreased in weight before an increase was noted in body weight, and (2) lower levels of the antibiotic which did not increase body weight caused a decrease in intestinal weight.

High levels of penicillin completely counteracted the body growth retardation and relative intestinal weight stimulation of unheated soybean meal fed at a level of 10% of the total diet, but did not completely counteract these effects when the level of unheated soybean meal was increased to 30 or 40%.

The inclusion of fibrous materials, alfalfa and wheat bran, at a level of 10% of the total diet did not significantly affect the response of the small intestine or body weight to penicillin.

It is suggested that the findings presented in this report cast some doubt on the possibility that there exists a causal relationship between the effect of antibiotics on the small intestine and the growth response usually observed when antibiotics are fed.

Manuscript received 28 December 1956.