Concentrations of Testosterone and Estradiol in Broiler Litter.

Broiler litter contains the naturally-excreted sex hormones testosterone and estradiol, which may contaminate surface runoff following litter application to land.  Information on the range of hormone concentrations present in different types of broiler litter is needed to focus research on those litter types containing the highest concentrations.  Consequently, one of the objectives of this study was to determine the variability of testosterone, estradiol, and estrone (a metabolite of estradiol) in broiler litter by selecting and analyzing 300 samples out of the 1800 samples received annually by the Agricultural and Analytical Services Laboratory of the University of Georgia.  Litter samples were selected to represent different litter treatments (e.g. alum, PLT), number of flocks, and type of litter (cake or full cleanout).  Samples were freeze dried, ground, and extracted for analysis of testosterone, estradiol and estrone by GC/MS.  In general, caked litter showed higher concentrations of all hormones than full-cleanout litter.  Increasing the number of flocks raised on the litter from 1 to 5 increased estradiol in caked litter and decreased testosterone in full-cleanout litter. A secondary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of broiler age on concentrations of hormones in broiler litter.  Broiler litter samples were collected from brooding and non-brooding areas of two poultry houses at 42, 49, and 56 days of broiler age.  In one of the houses, samples taken on day 42 had higher estrone concentrations than those collected on day 53.  The concentrations of testosterone and estradiol were not affected by broiler age.