Virginiamycin Effects on Performance and Saleable Carcass of Broilers

Abstract

Virginiamycin (VM) efficacy was evaluated and noted under conditions of varying sanitation levels (clean and dirty) and ambient temperature profiles (normal and heat stress). No interactions were detected between VM (0, 15 20 ppm) fortification, sanitation level, and ambient temperature profile for weight gain (G), feed consumption (FC), gain/feed ratio (G/F), survivability (SURV), carcass weight (carcass), carcass specific gravity (SPGR) or saleable carcass weight (SC). Poor sanitation level main effect adversely (P < .05) influenced broiler SURV and SC. The high ambient temperature adversely impacted F, FC, G/F, SURV, carcass, SPGR, and SC. Virginiamycin at 15 ppm improved (P < .05) G (2.1%), while at 20 ppm it reduced (P < .05) mortality (5.1%), resulting in SC increasing linearly with VM fortification level.