Response of chicks and turkey poults to Aroclor 1242.

Diets containing equal amounts of Aroclor 1242 contaminated fish meal were fed to chicks and poults from day-old to four weeks. Four levels from 0 to 10% of contaminated fish meal having 1500 p.p.m. PCB's were used, supplying 0, 38, 75 p.p.m. gained 432 g. and had 21% mortality, and 150 p.p.m. gained 338 g. and had 75% mortality. Chicks performed as follows: controls gained 504 g. and had 4% mortality, 38 p.p.m. PCB gained 481 g. and had 2% mortality, 75 P.P.M. gained 432 G. and had 21% mortality, and 150 P.P.M gained 338 G. and had 75% mortality. Chicks receiving 75 and 150 p.p.m. PCB were lighter in weight (P less than 0.05) than the 0 and 38 p.p.m. levels. The 150 p.p.m diet produced higher (P less than 0.05) mortality than the lower levels. Both 75 and 150 p.p.m. diets produced edema and other lesions attributed to PCB toxicity. Poults receiving the same treatment gained 386 g., 386 g., 389 g., and 387 g. respectively . Mortality was heavy due to a possible bacterial infection early in the brooding. No mortality was attributed to PCB toxicity. Post mortem showed no edema, pericarditis, or other lesions due to PCB toxicity. Another trial was run on poults using the 0 and 150 p.p.m. levels. The growth results were almost identical. Mortality was very low. The 0 treatment gained 616 g. and the 150 p.p.m. treatment 613 g. There were no apparent PCB toxicity symptoms or lesions in these poults.