please help!!Amprolium question.

[Roo_in_the_roost]

So I have been avoiding the medicated feed. Because it was my understanding that it can cause an issue with being able to eat your meaties. Well the other day I went to get a new bag of start and grow and all that was available was the medicated. I have about 15 chicks and was told it could be a week before the non medicated was in. I only fed it to the meaties for about 2 days and then switched to layer crumbles as non medicated was still not available. I have been supplementing protien with worms etc. anyway my question is how long will I have to wait for the amprolium to be out of their system before I can consider processing?

 

[Dogfish]

I've seen aswers from 2 to 4 weeks before processing. All of my CX get medicated feed for the first two weeks, then they go on Flock raiser.

 

[Roo_in_the_roost]

I've been doing alot of research through posts etc. and there are alot of topics concerning eggs. But not meat. I looked in google and it says there is no withdrawl period and some say you can eat them just fine because it's not actually an antibiotic, others range from 2-4 weeks???? I think where it was only the 2 days I should be all right. I'm about 2 weeks from the 8 wk point, and I may wait longer. Didn't think I'd need vet school just to process a couple birds.

 

[SteveH]

If there's a withdrawal period it has to be printed on the label or bag ; its required by federal law .

 

[matte]

I had that same question in the past. Purina states that Amprolium does not have a withdrawal period. They say that the reason for this is that this particular drug does not leave the digestive system...never being absorbed in the muscle tissue/meat.

 

[uhuh555]

Many countries are banding the preventive use of many drugs due to emerging problems. Most of these are being used outside of their FDA recommended use. Their approval has and is based solely on the information that has been provided by the manufactures (who are money motivated) and as you know there are scores of drugs pulled from the market because the manufacture did not disclose the whole truth about them to the FDA; many of which causing many side effects and even death. Look at liver damage caused by the use of Tylenol just to name one out of numerous FDA alerts and warnings that are short of pulling these products from the market.

All that said and done; the use of Amprolium; which causes B1 deficiencies in all animals that use it--some more than others. B1 deficiency affects the nervous system and inhibits the proper use of nutrients and their absorption by the host and microbial (good and bad) alike.

As far as the carry over to humans there are no major studies released to the public that defines this either way.

Before these were used sour milk, yogurt, acidophilus or buttermilk were feed, all of which are loaded with probiotics. When given from day one for the first week or two prevents the same diseases as drugs like Amprolium does without messing with nutrient absorption.

On large scale operations it became impractical to use the old ways, but as science has progressed probiotics can be easily administered thru the watering systems. Many multiple blends of probiotics that are water soluble can be easily administered. These probiotics do not weaken the chicks, in fact they enhance nutrient absorption and enable them to naturally fight these diseases and build natural immunities against them.

There are many sides to this debate; so research it and come to an informed decision that you are comfortable with.

Good Luck

 

[mike67909]

I don't feed medicated at all. Just make sure you keep on going orders with your feed store and they will likely stock more. The feed store I go to only stocks the non medicated stuff now.

 

[petrelline]

Amprolium is not an antibiotic, it is a thiamin (vitamin B1) inhibitor. Inhibiting B1 prevent coccidiosis, but the vitamin deficiency can also cause other problems in your chicks, especially if they're already suffering from shipping stress.

My strategy used to be to feed one bag of medicated feed and then switch to unmedicated. I figured that was basic insurance against cocci, and by the time I harvested my chickens the withdrawl period would be long over. But then I learned that even that was kind of silly. The first couple weeks when the chickens are in the brooder they're in a near-sterile environment, and cocci is a soil-borne pathogen. Feeding them medicated feed makes no difference at all if they're never exposed to cocci at all.

These days my new plan is non-medicated feed, lots of actual vitamins to keep the chicks strong and healthy, and to introduce a small amount of soil into the brooder after the first week. The chicks get exposed to the pathogen at very small levels so they can build up an immunity on their own, and I'm not introducing any extra medication that they don't need.

Of course this isn't necessarily a recommendation -- some areas are more prone to cocci than others. I've never had an actual problem.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

THERE IS NO WITHDRAWAL PERIOD FOR AMPROLIUM WHEN USED AS THE SOLE MEDICATION!!!

Jim

 

[Karrie13]

I feed medicated to mine and the bag doesn't say anything about a withdrawal period. I talked to the guy at the feedstore (all they do not a big box store) and he told me there is no withdrawal.