Narrative reviewindependent cross-checkfull text checked I-CHK-120 standard review
Poultry scientists: chickens are not given growth hormones
Chickens Do Not Receive Growth Hormones: So Why All the Confusion? (Mississippi State University Extension, Publication P2767)
Overview
Tabler T, Wells J, Zhai W. MSU Extension Service 2023 (date not stated; code POD-05-23)
US extension experts state that hormones have been banned in poultry since the 1950s and would not work in feed.
Does the study support the specific claim? Yes · Methodological quality: low
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Are broilers given growth hormones, and why do they grow fast?
- How was the study done?
University extension publication (expert narrative)
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
not applicable
- What was actually found?
'Hormone use in poultry production was banned in the United States in the 1950s'; 'growth hormones added to chicken feed would NOT be effective'; birds 'would need to receive growth hormone injections several times each day'; fast growth is attributed to genetic selection, nutrition and management, none related to hormones.
- How large was the observed effect?
'Hormone use in poultry production was banned in the United States in the 1950s'; 'growth hormones added to chicken feed would NOT be effective'; birds 'would need to receive growth hormone injections several times each day'; fast growth is attributed to genetic selection, nutrition and management, none related to hormones.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Fast growth comes from breeding and feed.
- What are the study's limitations?
Extension (non-peer-reviewed) text; Possible industry-friendly framing; Publication date not stated
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Supports Elawady's corrected statement; matches his reasoning that injections would be impractical.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Breeding stock is the same internationally.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Does not prove absence of illegal use anywhere.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Tabler T, Wells J, Zhai W
- Journal
- MSU Extension Service
- Year
- 2023 (date not stated; code POD-05-23)
- Identifier
- Verification
- verified – WebFetch of extension page 2026-10-26
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- full text
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not stated in abstract
2. Research question
Are broilers given growth hormones, and why do they grow fast?
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Narrative review – University extension publication (expert narrative)
- Population
US broiler industry
- Country
USA
- Period
not stated
- Sample size
not applicable
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
as described in the abstract
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Growth hormones
- Comparator
not applicable
- Endpoints
Explanation of broiler growth
- Statistical methods
as reported in the abstract
5. Actual results
- Results
'Hormone use in poultry production was banned in the United States in the 1950s'; 'growth hormones added to chicken feed would NOT be effective'; birds 'would need to receive growth hormone injections several times each day'; fast growth is attributed to genetic selection, nutrition and management, none related to hormones.
- Absolute risks
not reported
- Authors' conclusion
Broilers grow fast without growth hormones.
6. Strengths
- Poultry-science expertise
7. Weaknesses
- Extension (non-peer-reviewed) text
- Possible industry-friendly framing
- Publication date not stated
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- not assessable
- Rationale
Expert narrative; no data analysis.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Not a study; agrees with regulatory sources.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Expert explanation of why hormone injection of broilers is not practised.
11. Independent contrary findings
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
13. Overall methodological judgement
US extension experts state that hormones have been banned in poultry since the 1950s and would not work in feed.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | low |
| Risk of bias | some concerns |
| Precision of results | not applicable |
| Directness | direct |
| Reproducibility | unknown |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | consistent |
| Regional transferability | moderate |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |