DIFFERENCE IN RESPONSE OF THE CAPON COMB TO INTRAPERITONEALLY AND SUBCUTANEOUSLY INJECTED TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE1

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Abstract
White Leghorn capons were divided into groups at 21 days of age and started on a series of 34 daily injections of testosterone propionate (TP) given either subcutaneously (SC) or intraperitoneally (IP). The range in dosage was from 1.25 [mu]g to 500 [mu]g/day. Chicks were weighed and the combs measured at given intervals. Hormone effect was considered in terms of comb-growth stimulating activity. The TP given SC caused a straight line comb response, but given IP there was a great loss in effectiveness up to approximately the 150 [mu]g dosage level. From this point the effectiveness of IP injected hormone increased rapidly with the higher dosages. The SC response was significantly greater than the IP response except with the smaller dosages. The data are discussed in terms of the percentage of hormone activity lost with IP injection, and in terms of their relationship to the endocrine imbalance found in the castrate animal bearing a gonad graft in the portal drainage area.