Discolorations in Eggs from Layers Fed Cottonseed Meals Made from Glandless and Glanded Seed

Abstract

ACCORDING to Swenson et al. (1942) it was reported nearly 75 years ago that discolored yolks were produced by hens fed rations containing cottonseed meal (Roberts and Rice, 1891). However, Schaible et al. (1934) were apparently the first to publish conclusive evidence that gossypol, found in its pigment glands, is the component of cottonseed that causes yolk discolorations ranging in color from light brown to black (Swenson et al., 1942; and Heywang et al., 1949). Lorenz (1939) found that cottonseed has in its lipids a component(s) other than gossypol responsible for a “reddish-brown” color in whites when eggs are stored.The studies of Frampton et al. (1961) indicated that the intensity of dark yolk discolorations was at least partly due to some component(s) of cottonseed other than gossypol. According to Masson et al. (1957) Sterculia foetida oil and sterculic acid when fed to layers produced the typical pink discolorations in…