Response to Diethylstilbestrol Injections of Growing Chicks Fed Various Protein Levels

LORENZ (1943) demonstrated that diethylstilbestrol could be used for fattening cockerels when it was implanted subcutaneously. Thayer et al. (1944) reported that feeding estrogens in fattening rations produced high quality, fully fattened market chickens. Thayer et al. (1945) found 3, 4 dianisylhexene-3 to be more efficient for fattening poultry than diethylstilbestrol when fed orally. Levels of 40 to 50 mgs. of dianisylhexene per pound of feed, fed for a 3 to 4 week fattening period, did not appear to affect growth rate but body fat was increased. Improvement in the market quality of birds was noted by Sykes et al. (1945) when the birds were fed diethylstilbestrol up to 12 weeks of age. No consistent difference in feed consumption or feed utilization of the lots was reported by these workers. Glazener and Jull (1946) have shown that diethylstilbestrol fed for a three-week period improved dressing appearance and rate of gain …