Effects of florfenicol and chromium (III) on humoral immune response in chicks

Abstract

One hundred and sixty day-old Hainan chicks were randomly allotted into eight pens to investigate the effect of different dietary concentrations of chromium (Cr) in the form of chromium chloride, and different dosages of florfenicol on humoral immune responses by determining antibody titers to Newcastle disease (ND) vaccines using the hemagglutination inhibition test. The results indicated that ND antibody titers were significantly higher in chicks receiving Cr at low (5 mg/kg feed) and middle (10 mg/kg feed) dose compared with the control (p<0.01). However, ND antibody titers were significantly decreased in chicks receiving Cr at a high dosage of 500 mg/kg feed (p<0.01), though the ND antibody titers of the early days (d 21 and d 28 of age) were higher than that of the control group. It is suggested that excessive Cr intake has detrimental effects on ND antibody production in chicks. No significantly lower response was measured in chicks that received florfenicol at a low dosage of 50 mg/kg feed (p>0.05), but the ND antibody titers were significantly decreased in chicks receiving 200 and 400 mg/kg feed of the drug (p<0.01). The ND antibody titers of group receiving 200 mg/kg feed of florfenicol plus 10 mg/kg Cr were slightly higher than that of the group receiving single florfenicol of 200 mg/kg although, no significant differences were observed between these two treatments. It is suggested that the humoral immune response impaired by florfenicol (200 mg/kg feed) could not be significantly reversed by Cr (10 mg/kg feed).