The effects of trienbolone acetate and other anabolic agents in growing turkeys

1. Very large increases in growth rates and improvements in the efficiency of food conversion of both male and female turkeys of 70 d of age or older were effected by the subcutaneous implantation of 20 to 40 mg of trienbolone acetate (TA). 2. Implantation of TA (10 to 40 mg) into turkeys of 42 d of age or less caused growth depression, usually following an initial period of positive growth response. 3. During the period of growth depression, food conversion efficiency deteriorated and treated turkeys developed chondrodystrophic skeletal abnormalities and/or "leg weakness". 4. Implantation of oestradiol and of testosterone into 2-d-old turkeys also led to the development of skeletal abnormalities. 5. Implantation of testosterone (25 mg) into 84-d-old stag turkeys produced positive growth responses which were of smaller magnitude and lesser duration than those produced by TA. 6. Implantation of 70-d-old stag turkeys with a combination of TA (20 mg) and hexoestrol (15 mg) resulted in performances which were slightly superior in terms of the growth to those following administration of TA alone but which were markedly inferior in respect of food conversion.