Depressed Egg Production Research Articles

Further Studies on the Effect of Dried Cow Manure on the Domestic Fowl

CONFLICTING reports exist concerning the ability of the mature chicken to lay eggs when fed rations containing 8 percent or more dried cow manure. Whitson et al. (1946) reported that the inclusion of 8 percent oven-dried cow manure of high androgenic potency in an all-mash ration depressed egg production significantly. On the other hand, Palafox and Rosenberg (1951) found that air-dried cow manure, when fed at 10 and 15 percent of total ration, satisfactorily supported egg production, as well as egg weight and hatchability. They discussed the possibility that their sample of cow manure did not contain a high androgenic potency, and/or that a correction for total crude protein by means of additional herring meal may have enabled the experimental birds to lay in spite of the hormone(s). To elucidate this problem, a study was initiated to assay biologically for androgenic potency and compare Hawaii air-dried and oven-dried cow manures .