Response of Chickens to Prolonged Feeding of Crude "Toxic Fat".

Abstract

These data would indicate that crude “toxic fat” has a marked effect on testicular development without appreciably affecting the development of secondary sex characters or growth rate. At levels of 0.5 and 1.0% “toxic fat,” reduced testicular development usually occurred in conjunction with hydropericardium and ascites. When the level of fat was reduced to 0.25%, hydro-pericardium and ascites was markedly reduced, whereas, retarded testicular development persisted. It would appear that in immature chickens testicular hypoplasia resulting from consumption of crude “toxic fat” is a more sensitive index of toxicity than is hydropericardium or ascites.