The effects of low dietary concentrations of saponin on liver lipid accumulation and performance in laying hens.

1. Feeding 4 or 5 saponin/kg diet depressed food consumption, egg and body weights and liver lipid concentrations. Rate of egg production decreased initially but later returned to normal. 2. At 1 g/kg diet saponin had no effect on food consumption or laying performance but decreased the high liver lipid concentration in two experiments on a heavy (Warren) strain of bird. There was no effect on liver lipid concentration in another experiment using a light (White Leghorn) strain in which liver lipid concentration was low. 3. Excreta lipid, liver cholesterol and plasma high density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations were unaffected by saponin but plasma triglyceride concentrations were decreased.