Effects of dietary ABATE on reproductive success, duckling survival, behavior, and clinical pathology in game-farm mallards

Forty-four pairs of game-farm mallards (Anas platyrhynchos ) were fed ABATE) 4E (temephos) to yield 0, 1, or 10 ppm ABATE) beginning before the inititation of lay, and terminating when ducklings were 21 days of age. The mean interval between eggs laid was greater for hens fed 10 ppm ABATE) than for controls. Clutch size, fertility, hatchability, nest attentiveness of incubating hens, and avoidance behaviour of ducklings were not significantly affected. The percentage survival of ducklings to 21 days of age was significantly lower in both treated groups. In 21-day-old ducklings, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity increased and plasma nonspecific cholinesterase (ChE) activity was inhibited by about 20% in both treatment groups, but there were no significant differences in brain AChE or plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities, or plasma uric concentration.