author(s)
V Sureshkumar and Ghadevaru Sarathchandra

abstract
The presence of antibiotics in manures can represent an environmental and human health concern. Residues of antibiotics excreted into animal manures enter the environment either by spreading of livestock wastes onto agricultural fields as fertilizer or in the form of sludge after manure collection and storage. Livestock manure is a major source of veterinary antibiotics residues in agricultural fields as well as in the overall environment; hence analysis of these antibiotics is obviously important. Twelve one-day old broiler chicks were randomly divided into control (6 nos) and treatment group (6 nos). Treatment group received enrofloxacin @ 10 mg/Kg body weight, through drinking water for five consecutive days from 43rd to 47th day of age, whereas control group received non-medicated water. Dropping samples of control and treatment group were collected at different time points during the withdrawal period at 48 hours interval on day 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 post treatments. Enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin residues in poultry dropping samples were analysed by a validated High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography-Fluorescent Densitometry method. Enrofloxacin residues could be detected in droppings even up to 7^th day after treatment. Owing to the presence of antibiotics in droppings even after cessation of the administration of enrofloxacin, it warrants environmental concern. These antibiotic residues in animal faeces may potentially bring ecological risks. The present study stresses the need for stringent regulation for the use of antimicrobial drugs in the poultry industry.