Effect of Feeding DDT-Treated Alfalfa Hay to Swine and of Feeding the Swine Tissues to Rats

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Abstract
Twenty-two male and 22 female weanling pigs were fed control and DDT-treated alfalfa hay in their diets at the following percentage levels; zero, three, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 and 33. The DDT-treated alfalfa was dusted in the field at the rate of two pounds of technical DDT per acre. There was a DDT residue of 23 p.p.m. (dry basis) on the harvested hay. The pigs were fed until they reached market weight (approximately 210 pounds). DDT did not affect the body weight gain, and there were no gross pathology or microscopic changes of the livers or kidneys of the pigs. Weanling rats were fed raw fat, cured bacon and cured shoulder from the pigs for 14 weeks. The DDT in the rat diets (dry basis) averaged 2.2, 2.3 and 5.3 p.p.m. for the raw fat, cured bacon and cured shoulder diets, respectively. Under these experimental conditions, DDT did not influence either food consumption or gain in body weight. Autopsies were carried out on each animal and histological studies were conducted on the livers and kidneys. All of the animals and tissues were normal.