This study was conducted to determine whether the approved doses of oxytetr
acycline (OTC) for breeder hens and meat-type poultry would produce drug re
sidue transfer into egg components when fed to laying hens. Twenty hens wer
e assigned to equal groups (n = 10) and fed either 50 or 200 g/ton OTC for
5 d. Oxytetracycline concentrations in egg components were determined daily
during a 2-d pretreatment control period, the 5-d dosing period, and follo
wing drug withdrawal. The stability and drug content of the medicated feed
were determined the day dosing was started and the day of withdrawal. Resid
ues of OTC were not detectable during the predosing, dosing, or withdrawal
period in egg yolks. Oxytetracycline residues were detectable, however, in
egg albumen during the 5th d of treatment and the Ist d of medicated feed w
ithdrawal. These concentrations were close to the limit of the assay's sens
itivity (117 ppb). These data indicate that illegal or unintentional dosing
of laying hens with feed medicated at the doses allowed for breeder hens o
r meat-type poultry should not produce consistently detectable levels of re
sidues of OTC in eggs.