The effect of oxytetracycline on the amount of calcium and phosphorus of blood and density of bone tissue in broiler chickens

This study was designed to investigate the effects of oxytetracycline on the amount of calcium and phosphorus of blood and bone tissue density in broiler chickens. For this purpose, 72 day-old Ross chicks of, 308 strain in a completely randomized design in two groups: the control group (without dietary antibiotic) and the treatment group (with a diet containing oxytetracycline 50%, 3 gr per kg of diet) with 6 replicates in the same environmental conditions and management were studied for 42 days. In this experiment, the diameter of femoral shaft and ratio of various tissues of the femur and skull were studied. Blood parameters included calcium and phosphorus. In the group treated with oxytetracycline, femur shaft diameter was significantly decreased with the addition of drug to diet (p<0.01). Also the trabeculaes in the femur shaft and skull significantly decreased (p<0.01). In the group treated with oxytetracycline, the bone marrow of femur and skull significantly increased (p<0.01). The effect of oxytetracycline on cartilage of skull was no significant. The addition of oxytetracycline, to diet had no significant effect on calcium and phosphorus of blood. The results showed that oxytetracycline reduced absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestine and reduced bone density.