UNIDENTIFIED FACTORS IN JOJOBA MEAL PREVENT OVIDUCT DEVELOPMENT IN BROILER BREEDER FEMALES

Supplementation of feed with jojoba meal, as a means for autonomous fe ed restriction, was successful in depressing feed intake and controlli ng body weight of broiler breeder pullets to the extent recommended by the breeder company. However, these broiler breeders never produced e ggs. At the level of ovary, normal follicle development and maturation did occur. A considerable number of ovulations occurred which were no t followed by oviposition. After ovulation, the ova could not be captu red by the oviduct, because of the small size of the oviduct, resultin g in ''internal laying''. The virtual absence of oviduct development c annot be explained presently but it must be due to some yet unidentifi ed factor(s) in jojoba meal which prevent(s) the normal development of the oviduct. These factors may be acting by abnormally increasing pla sma progesterone or triiodothyronin levels and/or directly by themselv es interfering with oviduct development. The nature of these factors r equires further investigations.