High Levels of Free Gossypol in Hen Diets: Effects on Body Weight, Feed Consumption, and Egg Production

Abstract

EVIDENCE has been presented by a number of investigators in recent years showing that the toxic effects of cottonseed meal are due to its free gossypol content. The experiments with growing chickens by Lillie and Bird (1950) are in agreement with the above statement; and the results obtained by Heywang, Denton and Bird (1949) and Heywang, Bird and Altschul (1950), in separate experiments, indicated that free gossypol in cottonseed fed to hens is responsible for the decreased hatchability of their eggs, and that gossypol in the feed is related to the discoloration of eggs. Unpublished experiments in this laboratory have shown that pure gossypol injected into laying hens in the form of an oil solution is highly toxic and eventually produces death. A number of papers have appeared in recent years on the role of gossypol in cottonseed in the nutrition of growing chickens and laying hens. However, little work . . .