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The effect of an antibiotic, oxytetracycline Hc1 and a vitamin supplement on the performance and cost of production of broiler chickens were investigated in the semi-arid zone of Nigeria using eighty four Anak 2000 breed of broilers in a study which lasted for nine weeks. Oxytetracycline antibiotic and vita-stress were given to the broilers as prescribed by the manufacturers to supplement the commercial broiler starter and finisher diets as follows: Treatment 1 (Basal diet only-T 1) (control), Treatment 2 (Basal diet + oxymed injectable-T 2), Treatment 3 (Basal diet + vita-stress in water-T 3) and Treatment 4 (Basal diet + oxymed injectable + vita-stress in water-T 4). Results of the study showed that supplementation of broiler chicken feeds with oxytetracycline Hc1 antibiotic and vita-stress (T 4) significantly (P<0.05) improved the chicken body weight gain of the birds at different periods of the study, although the overall mean body weight gain of all the experimental groups did not differ (P>0.05) from one another. Mortality records however, showed broiler finisher diets with oxytetracycline or vita-stress, lowered mortality rates of birds in T 2 , T 3 and T 4 treatment groups. Evaluation of the cost of production shows that supplement of feeds with oxytetracycline and vitastressed increased the cost of production without significant gain in revenue at the end of the study. The results of the study therefore shows that supplementation of broiler diets with oxytetracycline or vita-stress which is practiced in the NorthEastern States of Nigeria during the hot weather do not improve live weight gain in broilers but decreased the mortality rates of the birds.

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