Effect of estradiol-17 beta-monopalmitate on the incidence of sudden death syndrome in male broiler chickens.

One-thousand male broiler crossbred chickens were implanted subcutaneously with 15 mg of estradiol-17 beta-monopalmitate at 2 wk of age; another 1,000 chickens served as untreated controls. Each of the treatments consisted of 8 pens of 125 chickens each. All chickens that died during the 9-wk experiment were necropsied and the incidence of sudden death syndrome (SDS), determined. There was no significant difference between treated and control groups in total mortality or in mortality attributed to SDS. Treated birds had higher feed-to-gain ratios and drank more water than controls.