Before recent practices changed, what drug was commonly added to chicken feed?

Roxarsone is the correct answer because it has a historical significance in poultry production. It is an arsenic-based compound that was commonly used as a feed additive in chicken feed to promote growth and improve feed efficiency. Roxarsone served dual purposes as both a growth promoter and as a means to control certain parasitic infections in poultry.

In the context of holistic nutrition, understanding the historical use of such additives is crucial as it informs current discussions about animal welfare, food safety, and nutritional quality of poultry products. The withdrawal or reduction of such substances aligns with a shift towards more natural and holistic approaches to animal husbandry, emphasizing the importance of raising poultry without reliance on potentially harmful chemicals.

While antibiotics, hormones, and antimicrobials are also relevant in discussions about poultry farming, they do not specifically denote the unique role that Roxarsone played until its use has declined in recent years due to growing concerns about the health impacts associated with arsenic residues in meat. Thus, recognizing Roxarsone highlights the evolution of practices aimed at promoting more sustainable and health-conscious farming alternatives.