The Effect of Ronidazole on Reproductive Performance of Japanese Quail

Abstract

Several studies have been made to ascertain the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of 1-methyl-2-carbamoyloxymethyl-5-nitroimidazole (ronidazole) against histomoniasis in turkeys (Peterson, 1967, 1968; Whitmore et al., 1968; Shelton and McDougle, 1968). Turkeys fed a diet containing 0.003%, 0.006%, and 0.012% ronidazole from day-old to twenty-five weeks of age were reported to have significantly increased body weight gain (Sullivan et al., 1968). Olson et al. (1970) demonstrated a significant improvement for weight gains of turkey poults from one to four weeks of age at dietary supplementation levels of 0.006% and 0.012% ronidazole. No information is available to indicate the effect of ronidazole on reproductive performance of turkeys or Japanese quail. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of ronidazole on egg production, percentage fertility, and percentage hatch of fertile eggs of Japanese quail.PROCEDUREEighty female and forty male Japanese quail were used in this study. The experimental quail…