STILLMEADOW, Inc. – Drug Development, Toxicology, Animal Health

Avian Oral Toxicology

Avian Oral Toxicology

STILLMEADOW, Inc. specializes in conducting avian toxicology testing according to EPA OCSPP Ecological Effects Test Guidelines. We conduct GLP non-target guideline avian testing with test substance administration by oral, inhalation and dietary routes using both terrestrial species ,bobwhite quail, and water fowl species, mallard duck.

 

We conduct Avian Oral Toxicity Tests with microbials and biopesticides (885.4050), and conventional chemicals (850.2100). We do the Avian Dietary Toxicity Test (850.2200) and Avian Inhalation Test according to guideline (885.4100). Bobwhite quail is the most common species required by the regulatory agencies that we test with.

To ensure the highest quality of birds are available for testing that meet OCSPP avian toxicology guideline requirements, we incubate only disease-free certified eggs, which also ensures that we meet the requirement that all chicks used on a study come from the same egg hatch.

Avian Oral, Tier I, Microbial Pest Control Agent (MPCA) Test (885.4050) is conducted with chicks that must be 14-24 days old at dosing. The chicks are administered the MPCA test substance by oral gavage for 5 days and observed for 30 days for signs of toxicity or mortality. Additional groups dosed include; an inactive group dosed with the MPCA that is inactived by autoclaving, a group is dosed with the MPCA sterile filtrate vacuum filtered through a 0.4 micron filter, and an untreated control group for comparison.

  • Limit test: A limit test consist of 30 quail dosed with active test substance at a maximum hazard dose. The limit test is the most common test performed here.
  • Definitive test: A definitive test consists of five groups of 10 chicks per group dosed with ten-fold serial dilutions of the active MPCA test substance to determine the NOEL and LC50.

Avian Acute Oral Toxicity Test (850.2100) is conducted with adult birds that must be ≥ 16 weeks old at dosing and be from the same egg hatch. The birds are administered by oral gavage a single dose and observed for 14 days for signs of toxicity or mortality.

  • Limit test: Ten birds are administered once a maximum hazard dose at 2000 mg/kg-bw or the vehicle and observed for 14 days for signs of toxicity or mortality.
  • Definitive test: A definitive test consists of five groups of 10 birds per group dosed with ten-fold serial dilutions of the test substance to determine the NOEL and LC50.