Feeding Three Insect Growth Regulators to White Leghorn Hens: Residues in Eggs and Tissues and Effects on Production and Reproduction

Three insect growth regulators were fed to mature White Leghorn hens at dietary levels 1, 5, 10, and 50 times higher than the efficacy level for fly control. Feeding 10, 50, 100, and 500 ppm diflubenzuron; 2.5, 12.5, 25, and 250 ppm 6-azido-N-cyclopropyl-N′-ethyl-1, 3, 5-triazine-2,4-diamine (CGA-19255); and 50, 250, 500, and 2500 ppm 1-(8-methoxy-4,8-dimethyl-nonyl)-4-(1-methylethyl) benzene (AI3-36206) for 8 weeks had no adverse effects on feed consumption, body weight, egg production, egg weight, egg shell thickness, fertility, hatchability, or progeny performance. Diflubenzuron and A13-36206 accumulated in the egg to levels approximately .04 and .004 of the dietary level, respectively, with a smaller accumulation in the liver and muscle. Diflubenzuron and A13-36206 accumulated in the body fat to levels approximately .10 and .02 of the dietary level, respectively. Five weeks after withdrawal from the diet, diflubenzuron was not detectable in the egg, liver, fat, or muscle tissues of hens fed any level of the compound; however, hens fed the highest level of A13-36206 had residues of this compound in the body fat. Traces of A13-36206 were also found in the eggs of hens fed the two highest levels 5 weeks after withdrawal. Residues of CGA-19255 were not detectable in the eggs, and the eggs were not analyzed for residues of the CGA-19255 metabolite, N-cyclopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine (CGA-72662). However, very low levels of the CGA-72662 were found in the liver, body fat, and muscle, but CGA-72662 was not detectable in these tissues one week after the withdrawal of CGA-19255 from the diet.