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Arsenical Supplements in Lamb Fattening Rations^{1, 2, 3, 4}

University of Illinois⁵

Abstract

Individual full feeding and group self-feeding were used to determine the effect of three different arsenical compounds on weight gains and wool production of growing-fattening lambs. Practical type Corn Belt growing-fattening rations made up of alfalfa, corn, and soybean oil meal were used in the trials.

Potassium arsenite, arsanilic acid, and arsonic acid were used to supply equal amounts of arsenic at levels of 0,002, 0.004, 0.006, 0.012, and 0.024 percent of the total ration based on the arsonic acid. None of these arsenicals fed at these levels consistently increased weight gains significantly when fed with an excellent quality or a poor quality ration. Experiment 2 indicated an increase in weight gains, which Experiment 3 did not, due to the arsenic on the poor quality ration. The gains of the lambs on the excellent ration exceeded those of the lambs on the poor ration, the difference being significant at the 1 percent level in both trials in which these were compared.

In Experiment 3 arsonic acid at the 0.024 percent level did not reduce the numbers of coccidia as Experiment 2 had indicated it might.

Rumen microflora, prothrombin time, and wool growth were not observed to be affected by any of the treatments.

No histological difference was observed in the livers, kidneys, and adrenal glands from the lambs in the first experiment.

No toxicity effect was observed at any time during the first three experiments. All rations were eaten satisfactorily and all lambs made very good gains.

These results do not indicate any benefit from including these arsenicals in a practical farm ration for growing-fattening lambs. It appears that these arsenicals are not as toxic for sheep as they are for swine and poultry.

¹ This paper is part of a thesis submitted by the senior author to the Graduate College.University of Illinois, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science.

² Published with the approval of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station.

³ These studies were financed in part through grants-in-aid from the Salsbury Laboratories, Charles City, Iowa.

⁴ We wish to acknowledge with thanks technical assistance from Drs. N. D. Levine, H. S. Bryan, Harry Hardenbrook, Jr., and H. E. Rhoades of the College of Veterinary Medicine; from E. E. Hatfield and Bryan Baker, Jr., of the Animal Science Department; and from W. H. Hale, present address Animal Husbandry Department. Ames, Iowa. Arsanilic and 3-nitro-4-hydrosyphenylarsonic acid for these experiments were generously supplied by Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois, through the courtesy of Dr. Douglas V. Frost.

⁵ Department of Animal Science, Urbana, Illinois.