AN ANDROGENIC SUBSTANCE IN FECES FROM CATTLE AS DEMONSTRATED BY TESTS ON THE CHICK

Abstract

The feces of cows in various stages of gestation, unbred heifers and bulls were dried and fed to chicks as a supplement to their diet for the first 4 wks. of life. Feces of cows and heifers were effective in stimulating comb-growth while that of mature bulls was without effect. The development of the testes and the ovaries was retarded in chicks fed material containing the active factor. These effects were considered evidence of the presence of an androgenic substance. Alcohol and chloroform extracts of cow feces possessed the androgenic activity. A chloroform extract of 1.0 g. of dried cow feces had approx. the activity of 16 [gamma] of testosterone acetate.