Effect of carbadox on growth, fasting metabolism, thyroid function and gastrointestinal tract in young pigs

Five experiments were done with 34 weanling and 24 growing crossbred gilts. Individually penned pigs were fed ad libitum (expt 1) or pair-fed (expt 2 through expt 5) for either 2 (expt 1 through expt 4) or 3 (expt 5) wk. Mean body weight gain and gain/feed values were significantly (P less than 0.05) greater in pigs fed carbadox (a synthetic antimicrobial). Fasting O2 consumption and CO2 production of pigs were measured during the 32- to 48-h (expt 1, 4 and 5) or during the 24- to 40-h (expt 2 and 3) postprandial periods with indirect open circuit calorimeters. Carbadox reduced O2 consumption significantly (P less than 0.05) in expt 2, but had no significant effect on CO2 production in any of the five experiments. The weight of thyroid gland and the plasma concentrations of L-3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) of pigs were not altered by carbadox. The mean weight, but not the length, of small intestine tended to be less in pigs fed carbadox. It is suggested that the growth-promoting effect of carbadox on young pigs may be associated with the weight of small intestine and its physiological processes such as metabolic rate. However, no definite effects of carbadox on whole-animal fasting metabolic rate and thyroid function could be demonstrated by the methods used in the present study.