Fertility, Hatchability and Progeny Performance of Laying Hens Fed High Levels of DDT in the Diet

Abstract

Three groups of White Leghorn hens were fed a commercial laying ration supplemented with 0, 300 or 600 p.p.m. technical DDT for 93 days prior to and during a 40 day measurement period. Fertility, hatchability, chick mortality, chick body weight and chick liver and adipose tissue DDT residues were studied. Egg production was reduced by both 300 and 600 p.p.m. in the hens diet. Fertility was significantly reduced in the 300 but not in the 600 p.p.m. group when compared to the 0 p.p.m. group. There were no significant differences in the hatchability of fertile eggs. Chick mortality was significantly increased in the 300 (7.6% mortality) and 600 p.p.m. (76.5% mortality) groups and chick body weight was significantly decreased in both DDT groups. The majority of the chick mortality in the 600 p.p.m. group occurred in the first three days after hatching. Concentration of DDT residues in chick liver and fat increased as the DDT ingestion by the hens increased.