Effect of Flavomycin and 3-Nitro-10 on Broiler Pigmentation When Used With Different Coccidiostats

Two series of experiments were conducted to study the effect of Flavomycin and 3-Nitro-10 on broiler pigmentation in the presence of two different coccidiostats. Monensin was used in all diets in the first series and zoalene in the second series. Flavomycin was included in the feed at 0, 1, 2 and 4 mg./kg. and 3-Nitro-10 was added at levels of 0, 25.0, 37.5, and 50.0 mg./kg. The broilers were grown in the states of Mississippi, Colorado, Arkansas and Florida. Shank pigmentation evaluations were made with a reflectance colorimeter to obtain values for dominant wavelength (DWL), excitation purity (EP) and luminosity. These measurements characterize the shank color in terms of hue, intensity and brightness, respectively. In one series (Monensin) the addition of Flavomycin to the diet resulted in significantly improving shank EP in Exp. 2 and numerically improving it in Exp. 1. No response was obtained in the third and there was a slight decrease in the fourth which may have been due to a significant Flavomycin × 3-Nitro-10 interaction. In the other series (Zoalene) the addition of 3-Nitro-10 resulted in significantly improving shank EP in all four experiments. It did not affect DWL. These responses in shank EP appear to be independent of the response in growth or feed efficiency. The addition of Flavomycin to the diet resulted in significantly, increasing shank EP and DWL in two of four experiments and a numerical increase was obtained in the other two. Again, these responses appeared to be independent of the growth and feed efficiency responses.