Purdue University
Agricultural Experiment Station
Lafayette, Indiana
Mimeo A.H. 118 April 29, 1955 (A Progress Report)
Male and Female Hormone-Like Materials Alone or in Combination for Yearling Steers Wo Me Beeson, To W. Perry, p, N. Andrews
and Martin Stob
Department of Animal Husbandry
Data from various experiment stations has shown the growth-stimulatory effect of female hormone-like materials when they are implanted under the skin or when they are fed to growing and fatten—
ing cattle in drylot*
Data concerning the effect of administering male hormone-like materials to fattening cattle is quite limited. Therefore, it was desirable to feed the male and female hormone-like materials- methyl testosterone and diethylstilbestrol - alone and in combination to fattening cattle in drylot to determine whether;
a. the male hormone-like material stimulated growth rate, when fed alone, and whether,
bo the combination of the male and female hormone-like materials would result in growth stimulation.
Expe rimental
Thirty-six yearling Hereford steers averaging 750 pounds liveweight were divided into four lots of nine each, to be fed a fattening ration of corn silage, Supplement A, and minerals in drylot.
One lot served as a negative control and received only the ration indicated. A second lot served as a positive control and received
10	milligrams of diethylstilbestrol per animal daily in addition to a full-feed of silage and 3.5 pounds of Supplement A per day.
Lot III was fed a combination of 5 milligrams of diethylstilbestrol and 50 milligrams of methyl testosterone, and Lot IV was fed 175 milligrams of methyl testosterone per animal daily, in addition
to the silage and Supplement A.
All the hormones were dissolved in 500 milliliters of corn
011	and this solution was pre-mixed with 10 pounds of soybean oil seal. The hormone pre-mix (now weighing 11 lb. due to the addition of the corn oil) was added to 1 ton of Supplement A in an upright twin spiral mixer.
Since the steers were fed 3.5 pounds of Supplement A per day, the following amounts of hormones were added per ton of supplement to allow for the daily hormone intake;
Lot I - No hormone.
Lot II - 5o714 grams diethylstilbestrol per ton Supplement A.
Lot III - 2.857 grams diethylstilbestrol and 28.571 grams methyl testosterone per ton Supplement A.