Effects of feed antibiotic avoparcine on organ morphology in broiler chickens

Groups of 90 male broilers each were administered the antibiotic avoparcine mixed into feed in concentrations of 7.5, 10, and 15 ppm and achieved a higher mean body weight than the controls fed without this admixture. At the end of the 70-d fattening period, histological examination was carried out on selected individuals. The small intestine, liver, bursa of Fabricius, thymus, thyroid gland, pancreas, kidneys, heart, and skeletal muscle were observed on paraffin sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Cell proliferation was assessed in the liver and small intestine by means of bromodeoxyuridine labeling. The exposure to avoparcine resulted in a decreased cell proliferation in both tissues when compared to controls. In addition, hypertrophy of the hepatocytes and development of reactive lymphoid tissue in the bursa of Fabricius, which occurred in the controls, were absent in the treated animals. These observations indicate that the growth-promoting effect of avoparcine is related to a restriction in the host animals of responses to intestinal bacteria. No adverse pathological changes were observed in the examined tissues, indicating that avoparcine was well tolerated.