title: Unidentified Factors in Jojoba Meal Prevent Oviduct Development in Broiler Breeder Females.
abstract: Supplementation of feed with jojoba meal, as a means for autonomous feed restriction, was successful in depressing feed intake and controlling body weight of broiler breeder pullets to the extent recommended by the breeder company. However, these broiler breeders never produced eggs. At the level of ovary, normal follicle development and maturation did occur. A considerable number of ovulations occurred which were not followed by oviposition. After ovulation, the ova could not be captured by the oviduct, because of the small size of the oviduct, resulting in "internal laying". The virtual absence of oviduct development cannot be explained presently but it must be due to some yet unidentified factor(s) in jojoba meal which prevent(s) the normal development of the oviduct. These factors may be acting by abnormally increasing plasma progesterone or triiodothyronin levels and/or directly by themselves interfering with oviduct development. The nature of these factors requires further investigations.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiology and Immunology of Domestic Animals, Department of Animal Production, K. U. Leuven, Kardinaal Mercierlaan 92, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium, Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Endocrinology, O & N, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium, Laboratory for Neuroendocrinology and Immunological Biotechnology, Zoological Institute, K. U. Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium, and Interdisciplinary Research Centre, K. U. Leuven Campus Kortrijk, B-8500 Kortrijk, Belgium.
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vermaut
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Onagbesan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bruggeman
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verhoeven
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berghman
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cokelaere
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Decuypere