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

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Abstract
"Toxic fat" when present in distilled animal fat residue usually produces hydropericardium, ascites and death within 5 weeks in growing chickens. In this study the concentration of crude "toxic fat" was reduced so that 4 week old male chickens could be fed up to 150 days. "Toxic fat" was mixed in a commercial ration at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0% while the control chickens received corn oil in their diet. At these concentrations of "toxic fat" more than 60% of the chickens survived for 150 days. Lower concentrations of "toxic fat" did not retard the growth rate nor affect the secondary sex character significantly. At levels of 0.5 and 1.0% "toxic fat" testicular atrophy developed in conjunction with hydropericardium and ascites. At a 0.25% concentration hydropericardium and ascites were appreciably reduced, whereas testicular atrophy occurred in 8 of 12 roosters. In most instances the gross appearance of testicular atrophy was associated with microscopic evidence of a suppression in spermatogenesis.

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