FEATHER – A POTENTIAL SOURCE FOR REENTRY OF ENROFLOXACIN AND ITS METABOLITE CIPROFLOXACIN RESIDUES IN FOOD CHAIN

Antimicrobials used in poultry production have the potential to bioaccumulate in poultry feathers but available data are scarce. Although feathers were processed and introduced as a protein source in animal feed, withdrawal periods were not established. Hence, an experimental trial was conducted to evaluate the residuol profile of enrofloxacin and its primary metabolite ciprofloxacin in featherof broiler chicken. Thirty six one-day old broiler chicks were randomly divided into control (6 nos) and treatment group (30 nos). Treatment group was administered with enrofloxacin at recommended therapeutic dose 10 mg Kg , through drinking water for five consecutive days from 43rd  to 47th -1 day of age, whereas control group received non-medicated water. Six birds from treatment group were sacrificed ethically and feather samples were collected at different time points during the withdrawal period at 48 hours interval on day 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 post treatment. Control birds were sacrificed on day 9 post treatment. Enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin residues in feather were analysed by a validated High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography Fluorescent Densitometry method. The present study revealed that enrofloxacin persisted in feather throughout the study period, where as its metabolite ciprofloxacincould be detected until 7th day post treatment and on 9th day post treatment it was below detection limit. The interesting finding is the high level of enrofloxacin achieved in feathers during the withdrawal period. Drug withdrawal times, based on the concentrations of antimicrobial residues in edible chicken meat, were not adequate to reduce antimicrobial residues in chicken feathers. As the feathers are used as a protein source to supplement feed for different food animal species (bovines, pigs, Salmons, trouts) they must be considered potential reservoirs of chemical residues that can reach man through the food chain; hence, the present study warrantsestablishment of withdrawal period for feather similar to that of edible tissues.