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Evidence for an Unidentified Factor Necessary for Maximum Egg Weight in Chickens¹

Department of Poultry Science, State College of Washington, Pullman

Evidence is presented that an unidentified factor present in yellow corn and in certain other feedstuffs is necessary for maximum egg weight, egg production, and hatchability of fertile eggs in the chicken. Feeding of graded levels of yellow corn showed that a dietary level of 70% was necessary to obtain the maximum effect. Dehydrated grass was not a good source of the factor. Several fractions of corn were tested and the factor was found to be concentrated in the crude corn oil fraction. A level of 3% of crude corn oil was as effective as 70% of corn in raising egg weight, whereas 3% of animal tallow was ineffective. A deficiency of the unidentified factor apparently primarily affected the quantitative deposition of yolk rather than the deposition of albumen or shell. Deposition of cholesterol in the yolks of the eggs was not affected by the presence of concentrated sources of the unidentified factor.

Manuscript received 18 November 1957.