Lice Control on Chickens with Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Insecticides1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Experiments were performed to determine the effectiveness of dust formulations of 5 insecticides, aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, heptachlor, and lindane, for chicken lice control. Three spp. of lice occurred as natural infestations on chickens used in these experiments: Eomenacanthus stramineus; Goniocotes gallinae; and Menopon gallinae. Application with a rotary duster of dusts containing 1.5% aldrin, 5.0% chlordane, 1.0% dieldrin, 1.5% heptachlor, and 1.0% lindane gave satisfactory control for all insecticides except dieldrin for the experimental periods of 10 and 21 days. Applications were made over the roosting birds at a rate of approximately 15 g/bird. Lice control was obtained also by scattering by hand 1.5% aldrin, 5.0% chlordane, and 1.0% lindane dusts a single time on the litter of poultry houses at the rate of approximately 2 lb/ 100 sq. ft. of floor area. No toxicity was observed during a 12-week experimental period for birds treated with 1.0, 0.25 and 0.0625% dieldrin and lindane dusts applied by the "pinch method" at the rate of 10 g/ bird. Neither the dieldrin nor the lindane dusts had any detrimental effect upon weight changes of the birds sacrificed during the first 8 weeks of the experiment for residue studies. Lindane residues from successive fat and liver samples dissipated rapidly. Dieldrin residues persisted in measurable amounts in the fat for the duration of the experiment.