An experiment in 80 Thai native crossbred chickens compared a basal diet with 0.05% chlortetracycline for 12 weeks. Growth, ADG, and FCR did not improve, while LDL and AST rose, intestinal histology changed, and cecal microbiota shifted toward a pattern interpreted as dysbiosis.
Key findings
- Growth outcomes did not differ (p>0.05), while LDL and AST increased (p
Why this matters globally
The findings align with One Health by weighing production against animal physiology and AMR, and question AGP use in slow-growing chickens without growth benefit.
Thai researcher contribution
The Chiang Mai University and Functional Feed Innovation Center team studied Thai-relevant chickens and diets across productivity, blood, histology, and microbiome endpoints.
Limitations to consider
Randomization, pen-level experimental units, replication, and sex are not stated, raising pseudoreplication concerns. Predicted function is not measured function, dysbiosis is context-dependent, and culture/resistome, residues, challenge, welfare, and economics are absent.