Pyridine extraction method for determination of bacitracin in feeds: collaborative evaluation.

Seventeen laboratories evaluated the pyridine extraction method and neomycin-sensitized agar for the determination of zinc and MD bacitracin in swine and broiler rations at 10 and 100 g/ton. The method was also applied to the analysis of 2 premixes labeled 50 g/lb (MD bacitracin) and 40 g/lb (zinc bacitracin). Bacitracin activity was determined on each of 2 days with 2 dilutions on each day. No significant difference was found between dilutions within a day or between days for each sample. The type of bacitracin or type of feed did not significantly affect results. The difference in results between MD and zinc bacitracin in premixes approached significance. The large coefficients of variation for premixes (ca 13%) and complete feeds (ca 15--30%) indicate operational problems. The main difficulty was evaporation of pyridine. Some laboratories were not able to evaporate it completely, whereas others lost bacitracin activity, probably due to high temperature of drying. The pyridine extraction method as in 42.200 and 42.204 should be discontinued.