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A great deal has been said in the past, about the relative merits of mash and grain to stimulate egg production, and the proportion of mash and grain fed to obtain good production. It is not the purpose of this paper to discuss the mash in any way, since it is the writer’s opinion that if the grain is fed in proper amounts, the amount of mash consumed by the birds will take care of itself. It has been our experience at the New Jersey Egg Laying Contests that grain should be fed heavily in the fall and early winter, the reason for this being that pullets that start the contest on November 1 are usually small and not fully matured. It is true that if they were forced for production, a larger number of eggs could be obtained at this seeason than has been obtained, but we have reason . . .

OVULATION and the subsequent laying of a normal egg, usually within 26 hours, are preceded and accompanied by certain changes in the body of the hen. The external characters that are associated with an active state of egg production are well known and are used as the basis for the periodic culling of commercial laying flocks. By the absence of external changes considered indicative of egg production, one is able to identify non-layers and to remove them from the flock, if so desired. It is customary to consider as layers those birds which show the external characteristics associated with egg production. We have learned, however, that some birds behave as though they were laying, and show appropriate changes in body condition, without actually producing an egg. This paper presents the pertinent findings when groups of such birds were subjected to study. SOURCES OF DATA Among large populations of pedigreed White …

WHILE there seems to be general agreement that only limited amounts of the water-soluble vitamins can be stored by the animal body, little is known concerning the rate of passage of these vitamins through the body. Earlier papers have reported data concerning the ascorbic acid content of the blood plasma of chickens and laying hens fed a normal poultry ration and of mature hens that received subcutaneous injections of ascorbic acid. In a study with rapidly growing Rhode Island Red chicks, fed a typical ration, Holmes, Tripp, and Satterfield (1938) found the ascorbic acid content of the plasma of eight weeks old chicks ranged from 1.56 mg. to 2.23 mg. with an average of 2.04 mg. percent and that of twelve weeks old chicks varied from 1.46 mg. to 2.43 mg. with an average of 2.05 mg. percent. There was no consistent relation between the values obtained for the two . . .

TURKEY growers are occasionally confronted by moderate to severe losses of poults between the fifth and twelfth days after hatching. Typically, such poults show a lack of growth, a loose, slimy gizzard lining that frequently forms a ball that plugs the opening to the duodenum, and no evidence of specific infection. Severe early losses in one lot of poults at the Beltsville Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, prompted the writer to attempt to duplicate the condition experimentally in 1941 and 1942. This paper describes three experiments conducted by the writer and reports his findings. EXPERIMENTAL The first experiment was for the purpose of finding out if large doses of cod liver oil would have detrimental effect on the gizzards of turkeys. Miller and Hammond (1942) had previously found that the addition of large quantities of cod liver oil to a diet for growing chickens increased the severity of gizzard erosion. Four . . .

THE results of a few experiments indicate that fertility and hatchability are decreased when the environmental temperature of chickens is low. Payne and Ingram (1927), for example, observed a reduction in fertility and hatchability for a short time after the air temperature was so low that male breeders had their combs and wattles frozen. There appears to be no published information showing whether fertility and hatchability are affected when the environmental temperature of chickens is high. However, a study to obtain data on this subject was made recently at the Southwest Poultry Experiment Station, Glendale, Arizona, and the results are given in this paper. This station is in a region where daytime air temperatures are high during the summer months, and the data were obtained on eggs laid by pullets kept at the normal, rather than at artificially controlled, air temperatures. PROCEDURE The White Leghorn pullets from which eggs were . . .

SEVERAL research papers have been published recently with regard to the relationship between shell color and hatchability of chicken eggs. In general the conclusions have been that in certain breeds laying brown eggs the medium to dark brown shelled eggs hatched better than did eggs with light brown shell color (Godfrey, 1947; and Funk and Forward, 1949). Godfrey (1949) also reported on the relationship between egg shell color and breaking strength as well as shell thickness. In his studies the correlation coefficients between egg shell color and breaking strength was +0.363 and between egg shell color and shell thickness +0.372. These values were highly significant, indicating that as shell color increased both shell thickness and breaking strength correspondingly increased. In a subsequent report, Godfrey and Jaap (1949) reported significant correlations between specific gravity of hatching eggs and shell color, between specific gravity and shell thickness, and between shell color and . . .

ALTHOUGH many phases of the calcium metabolism of the chicken have been studied, very little attention has been given to the effect of the calcium and phosphorus content of the diet of laying pullets and hens on the production and hatchability of eggs. The purpose of this paper is to present data on this phase of the calcium and phosphorus metabolism of the chicken. These data demonstrate the deleterious effect, hitherto unsuspected, of a high level of calcium intake of laying chickens on the ability of their eggs to hatch, and they suggest that in practical poultry husbandry it is very desirable to control the calcium intake of laying chickens. LITERATURE Wheeler (1919) made many inorganic analyses of the shells of eggs and of the carcasses of chickens and ducks that had received calcium, magnesium, and strontium from several sources as supplements to their diet. He found that the diets . . .

THE effects of fiber content and physical form of turkey diets have been studied as separate experimental entities. Only a few reports have appeared in the literature on the effect of dietary energy level on the performance of turkeys. The present paper is the first of a series that will consider the energy requirement of turkeys of different ages and factors that affect this requirement. A review of the literature on turkey poult nutrition reveals that Goff (1932/34) reported the average weight of 16-week-old Bronze poults fed diets containing from 3.77 to 11.62 percent fiber increased as the fiber level decreased. Goodeal and Moore (1941) were among the first to study the influence of physical form of the diet on the performance of poults. They found that mash and pellet-fed poults made similar weight gains to 8 weeks of age. Berg and Bearse (1947) reported that turkey poults fed a …

RESULTS in two previous experiments with October-hatched White Leghorns showed, during a period of 51 weeks egg production, that birds which had received daylight only until they were 20 weeks old laid an average of seven or eight eggs more per bird than those which had received 16 hours light daily (Lowe and Heywang, 1961). It was considered desirable to obtain more data about the effect of various light treatments during the first 20 weeks of age on subsequent egg production of White Leghorns hatched in October. Reported in this paper are the results of three experiments conducted at this station in three successive years. PROCEDURE Day-old White Leghorn pullets of the same strain and hatched during the fourth week of October were used. Experiments were conducted in three successive years. At the start of the first and second experiments, 110 chicks were in each of six groups and 105…

The experiments on which the data contained in this paper are based were suggested by the fact that various kinds of green feeds, which have been found to prevent rickets in mammals, did not, in similar quantities, prevent rickets in growing chicks. 1 On the other hand, both ultra-violet light and cod liver oil have proved effective in preventing rickets in growing chicks and mammals. In view of these facts it was determined to conduct an experiment to determine the relative values of green oat-sprouts, green alfalfa and cod liver oil in preventing rickets in growing chicks, both in the presence and absence of ultra-violet light and direct sunlight. EXPERIMENTAL For this purpose, nine lots of day-old chicks, 25 chicks in each lot, were used. These lots were divided into three groups of three lots each, and each chick was banded. Each lot was confined in a separate pen. The nine . . .

DURING the course of our investigations on the linoleic acid (18:2) requirement of the hen for reproduction, a malformation of the toes of newly-hatched chicks was observed. This deformity ascribed to a deficiency of 18:2 was first reported by Menge (1968a). The purpose of this paper is to present detailed observations on the percentage of incidence and the different classes of the severity of the toe abnormality. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE In the first experiment 18:2 deficient Leghorn hens were distributed into 7 groups of 28 hens each. The groups received a low-fat isolated soy protein diet described by Menge (1968b) supplemented with 18:21 as follows: zero 0.125. 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4% respectively. Hatching data from this experiment were collected from 20 consecutive weekly hatches (Table 1). The second experiment comprised 12 groups of 15 hens each. Groups 1 through 11, deficient in 18:2, received the isolated soy protein diet. . .

INGRAM et al. (1951) using four hens per treatment showed that methionine is required for egg production, but made no mention of the effect of a methionine deficiency on egg size. They concluded that the methionine requirement of the laying hen was not more than 0.38 percent in the presence of 0.25 percent cystine. The experiment they described was conducted for a period of eight weeks. The experiment reported in this paper was conducted with an initial number of 60 hens per treatment and for a period of 24 weeks. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Single Comb White Leghorn pullets hatched in August, 1949, were randomly distributed at maturity into ten groups of 30 each. The hens were housed in pens 8×17 feet with litter floor. At the time the experiment was started in February, 1950, the pullets were laying at a rate of approximately 60 percent. The composition of the experimental diets . . .

A KNOWLEDGE of the range in the percentage of protein that can be used satisfactorily in the mash of turkeys fed mash and grain ad libitum is of importance to both the turkey grower and the research worker. The object of this paper is to present an analysis of some data on growth and feed consumption that were obtained with turkeys which were fed ad libitum grain and mashes that contained different percentages of protein varying from approximately 18.5 to 30.0 percent by increments of approximately 2 percent. Funk (1930) found that an all-mash diet containing 20 percent of protein produced satisfactory growth in turkeys reared in semi-confinement from hatching to 24 weeks of age. Brooks (1933) found that male turkeys ate more feed per week than female turkeys but that they required less feed per pound of gain than the females from 18 to 28 weeks of age. Mussehl . . .

THE reports of feeding thyroprotein to chickens and its effect on growth are not consistent. It is not the objective of this paper to review all those results in detail but it should be mentioned that the level of thyroprotein fed, age of birds, and the season of the year are among the factors that account for the inconsistency in the results of the different investigators. Turner et al. (1944), Glazener et al. (1949), and Boone et al. (1950) found that when high levels of thyroprotein were fed, a marked decrease in the rate of growth was observed. Irwin et al. (1943) reported that severe mortality occurred when high levels of thyroprotein were added to the ration. The objective of this investigation was to determine if there are sire and dam family differences in tolerance of chicks to toxic levels of Protamone and to study the effect of high levels . . .

INTRODUCTION ONE of the main suggestions to solve the problem of the shortage of both eggs and meat in Egypt is to import and adapt the high yielding foreign breeds of poultry. The author follows up his study of three commercial strains imported from Holland and the native strain known as Fayoumi. Amer (1956) compared the foreign breeds and Fayoumi with respect to fertility, hatchability, body weight and body measurements. Later on, Amer (1964), made a comparison between the previous breeds and the local strain with respect to annual egg production and mode of laying. This paper deals with the study of age at sexual maturity, body weight at sexual maturity and egg size in the standard breeds and Fayoumi. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Sexual Maturity: Byerly and Knox (1946) reported that pullets of later hatches laid their first egg at older ages than those of earlier hatches. They added that…

IT IS a well known fact that many pullets become thin, pale, and develop general or specific diseases after they have been in production for a time. Dukes and Schwarte (1932) found no significant correlation between spring egg production and hemoglobin level of the blood. Cook and Harmon (1933), on the other hand, reported that egg production caused a marked drop in hemoglobin level and that it rose again soon after production stopped. If egg production does cause a drop in hemoglobin level of the blood, it would result in abnormal cell activities and predispose the birds to disease. Some feedstuffs and mineral preparations are being advocated by commercial firms as supplements for laying rations to increase their iron content and thus prevent a possible nutritional anemia. The purpose of this paper is to add to and possibly aid in clarifying the existing data on the influence of egg production . . .

THE desirability of relating many physiological, nutritional and metabolic observations on animals to lean body mass or fat-free body weight rather than total body weight has been set forth by many workers (see, for example, Pace and Rathbun, 1945; Edelman et al., 1952; Behnke, 1953; Reid et al, 1955; Zak and Earle, 1957). With the advent of simplified dilution techniques (Soberman et al., 1949) in vivo estimation of body composition has become more common place, including studies on several domesticated mammalian species: cattle (Kraybill et al., 1951); dogs (Herrold and Sapirstein, 1952); swine (Kraybill et al., 1953); and sheep (Hansard and Luke, 1956). In the case of cattle and swine, their application to nutrition studies has more recently received attention (Clawson et al., 1955; McFadden and Richards, 1956; Wellington et al., 1956). This paper considers the application of the antipyrine dilution technique to the hen, with observations on the changes . . .

Sanctuary, (1925), Hutt (1929), Smith (1930), Hale (1930), and Byerly (1930), have reported and discussed data on malposition in the chick embryo, but no experimental work on the cause of malposition has come to the author’s attention. The present paper is presented as a contribution to the solution of the causes of malposition and to our knowledge of its importance as a factor in hatchability. During the earlier portion of the incubation period the embryo floats freely on the upper surface of the yolk. As incubation proceeds, the embryo turns to a new position relative to the overlying shell whenever the egg is turned. If the egg stands on end, this statement must be somewhat qualified because the ehalazae prevent the embryo from reaching the middle of the upper yolksurface. Since the position of the embryo in the egg is at first determined by gravity, it is reasonable to suppose . . .

THE low requirements of developing turkeys for calcium and phosphorus as indicated by the data obtained by Nelson et al. (1961) prompted the test reported in this paper. These workers reported that dietary levels of 0.5% phosphorus and 0.5% calcium were adequate for growth and feed utilization of turkeys (8–24 wks.), a ratio of calcium: phosphorus (Ca:P) of 1:1. When the Ca:P ratio deviated from 1:1, a minimum requirement of 0.6% calcium and 0.6% phosphorus was required for optimum growth and feed utilization. However, higher levels of calcium and phosphorus were needed for maximum toe ash. Sullivan (1960) reported that for late growth (8–20 wks.), the total phosphorus requirements of female and male turkeys were 0.75% and 0.85%, respectively, where the ration contained 1.55% calcium. Maximum tarsometatarsus ash, growth and feed utilization were the criteria used to establish requirements. Using an all-vegetable ration containing 0.43% organic phosphorus and …

That the normal body temperature of the adult domestic fowl is fairly high (106° to 107°F.) is generally known, but so far as the writer has been able to determine, there are no statements in the literature as to the normal temperature of chicks when first hatched. A beginning was made on a study of this problem in 1918 while the writer was connected with the Poultry Department of the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station. This paper reports certain phases of that study. Data were secured on a total of 119 S. C. White Leghorn chicks. These were pedigree-hatched, June 21, 1918, in Prairie State Incubators. Upon being taken from the hatching bags each chick was marked with a numbered leg-band in order that all data might be studied with reference to the parentage of the chicks. The chicks were grouped into four lots, on a basis of parentage, with as . . .

CHEMICAL analyses of chick organs and bones have not been reported for chicks sampled at successive age periods under identical conditions. Sturkie (1954) does not give data on the chemical components of chick organs and bones. When the values for chemical constituents of chick organs and bones have been established for chicks fed rations free of antibiotics and coccidiostats, then chemical analyses can be used to evaluate the effect of antibiotics and coccidiostats on chick organs and bones. This paper reports the findings in chicks fed a ration free of antibiotics and coccidiostats. MATERIALS AND METHODS New Hampshire×Barred Columbian cockerels were obtained at two days of age and fed ad libitum a chick ration (Table 1) free of antibiotics and coccidiostats until they were ten weeks of age. The ration (Table 1) is a broiler ration used by the Poultry Division of the University of Illinois. The chicks were wing …

ARTIFICIAL illumination has been extensively used with chickens for decades; for evidence of this fact one needs only to refer to the classical review by Whetham (1933). In the ensuing years since her review, research on artificial lighting of poultry has been sporadic until the report by King (1958) on “stimulighting.” In turkeys the research by Asmundson et al. (1946) and Asmundson and Moses (1950) indicated the necessary optimums of light intensity and total day for normal reproduction of mature spring hatched turkeys. Currently there has been increased interest in year around turkey productions so that another factor in illumination, namely light-conditioning or light-restriction is being investigated in order to bring hens into egg production during the summer and early fall months (Harper and Parker, 1957). This paper reports the conditioning effects of short days, 6 and 10 hours, respectively, for a period of 3 weeks beginning at age 20 …

Among the characteristics of breeds of domestic animals which may be of economic importance as well as of biological interest are their relative death rates. Earlier studies have dealt with the problem of the differentiation of birds which died at some time during their first laying years from those which survived throughout that period. In these papers it has been shown that in the White Leghorn * and in the White Wyandotte and Rhode Island Red breeds of fowl ** the means, standard deviations, and coefficients of variations of the monthly egg production of these two classes, those which survived and those which died, are significantly different in many months of the year. The results have been confirmed by the application of other biometric criteria. *** While these studies deal adequately with the problem of the differentiation with respect to egg production of birds which survive for various periods of time, they leave . . .

THE differences in growth response to antibiotics reported by different investigators have been attributed to several factors, among which are “old” and “new” environment (Coates et al., 1951; Gordon, 1952), continued use and induced resistance (McGinnis et al., 1958; Nelson et al., 1963), as well as a reduced germ load or diseased potential with continued use of an antibiotic (Libby and Schaible, 1955; Waibel et al., 1954). Growth responses attributed to enzyme supplementation also may vary due to several causes. Fry et al. (1958b) found that the type of cereal grain influences the degree of response by turkey poults, while Willingham et al. (1960), using samples of barley grown in different geographical areas, showed that the geographical source of the grain may also influence the response. The results presented in this paper show that the growth response of turkey poults to antibiotic and/or enzyme supplements may also be influenced by…

AN INCREASED interest in pigmentation has occurred as evidenced by numerous recent papers concerning this subject (Anjaneylu et al., 1961; Farr et al., 1961; Mitchell et al, 1961; Morehouse, 1961; Wheeler and Turk, 1961; Tarver, 1961; Couch, 1961; Ratcliff et al., 1961; Hastings, 1961; and Williams, 1962). Research work has centered around (1) finding new sources of xanthophyll, (2) enhancement of utilization of xanthophyll, (3) determining relative pigmenting values of feedstuffs and (4) egg yolk pigmentation. Pigmentation problem with broilers appears to be less acute than formerly, except in certain areas. The greatest problem today is with eggs being produced for breakout operations where uniform deep colored egg yolks are desired, but have been difficult to obtain through the use of natural ingredients which furnish xanthophyll. Dietary levels of 15 to 25% of high quality alfalfa leaf meal were found to be necessary to produce intense yolk pigmentation, NEPA 5 …

DURING recent years the value of alfalfa meal as a source of carotene and riboflavin has been recognized. This has been particularly true in the case of poultry feeds where quite frequently alfalfa is the chief carrier for carotene (provitamin A). That alfalfa meal can meet the vitamin A requirements of laying hens has been shown by Williams, Lampman, and Bolin (1939) and the need for riboflavin (vitamin B2) in poultry feeds has also been amply demonstrated by Lepkovsky, Taylor, and Almquist (1939), and it is a recognized fact that alfalfa can be a significant source of this vitamin. It is the intention of this paper to review the quality of alfalfa meals on the Kansas market, in 1940, from the standpoint of carotene and riboflavin. To accomplish this, the authors, with the cooperation of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, analyzed 99 samples of alfalfa meal collected during the . . .

IT HAS been suggested by Wilson et al. (1961) that the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) is a suitable research animal for conducting pilot experiments for chickens and turkeys because of its close resemblance to these species. Although the Japanese quail has been used extensively in avian research, there have been few direct comparisons of this species with the more commonly used domestic breeds of chickens and turkeys. In view of the increased interest in the use of the Japanese quail in avian research, the experiments reported in this paper were designed to compare the relative abilities of this species and light breed chickens to metabolize and utilize energy from diets of different energy concentrations. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS Two experiments were conducted and, with the exception of the diets, the experimental procedures for both trials were as nearly alike as possible. Chicks of both species were hatched from eggs obtained from . . .

ALTHOUGH the advantages of fat supplementation of broiler rations have been amply demonstrated, the value of thus increasing the energy level of laying rations is questionable. It has been reported by Weiss and Fisher (1957) and Donaldson and Gordon (1960) that rations containing high levels of fat fed to laying birds may result in obesity and fatty livers leading to a high rate of mortality. The present paper summarizes the data on mortality obtained in an experiment in which birds were kept in cages and fed diets supplemented with different levels of fat from day-old to 3 years of age. EXPERIMENTAL Starting, growing and laying rations were formulated according to Table 1. The rations were calculated to contain 20, 16.5 and 15 percent protein respectively. Each type of ration was adjusted to contain 2.5, 7.5 and 12.5 percent of fat. The two higher levels of fat were attained by the …

THE quantitative requirement for magnesium by laying hens has not been established. The National Research Council in 1966 listed the growing chicken's requirement as 500 mg. magnesium per kilogram of feed, but gave no estimate of the hen's requirement while Edwards et al. (1961) showed that the phosphorus level of the hen's diet had a marked influence on magnesium metabolism in laying hens. Their studies showed that high levels of phosphorus in the diet decreased 28Mg absorption from the small intestine and stimulated secretion of endogenous 28Mg from the hen's body into the gastrointestinal tract. Cox and Sell (1967) reported that magnesium deficiency in the laying hen caused a decrease in egg production, hypomagnesia, reduced feed intake and decreased egg size. High calcium levels in the diet appeared to hasten the development of magnesium deficiency. The studies reported in this paper were conducted to obtain information on the quantitative requirement . . .

McGINNIS, Norris, and Heuser (1942) reported that young chicks, when fed a semi-purified ration containing corn meal and peanut meal, required an unidentified nutritional factor for feather pigmentation. The factor, present in dried brewer’s yeast, was distinguished from the vitamins known at that time with the exception of para-aminobenzoic acid and inositol. The results presented in this paper extend the observations of these workers. It has been found, by the use of a purified ration, that liver contains a feather-pigment factor which is distinct from all chemically identified vitamins available at present, including inositol and para-aminobenzoic acid. Several procedures for obtaining faulty pigmentation are given. In addition, the effect of inanition on pigment production has been determined in paired-feeding trials. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE AND RESULTS Day-old purebred New Hampshire chicks or crossbred chicks secured from matings of Barred Plymouth Rock males ×New Hampshire females were used and divided into uniform groups. . . .

Reported work on the sex ratio of domestic fowl is exceedingly scarce. Darwin found a ratio of males to total population of 48.64. Later, Pearl1 reported on 22,791 chicks, found a sex ratio of 49.45. Pearl’s data were obtained from work with several varieties, chiefly Barred Plymouth Rocks. No information is available concerning the varieties used by Darwin. In 1924, Jull2 reported a ratio of 49.01, this being an average for three years’ work with Barred Plymouth Rock pullets during the normal hatching season. Both Pearl and Jull found that prenatal mortality had no effect upon the sex ratio as shown by chicks placed in brooding quarters. Likewise, Pearl and Jull found that the proportion of males decreases as antecedent egg production increases. It is with this phase of sex ratios that this paper is concerned. EXPERIMENTAL It should be stated that but a single season’s work is reported here. . . .

OF the several species of cestodes, infecting domestic fowls in Kerala, Raillietina tetragona (Molin, 1858), R. echinobothrida (Megnin, 1881) and Cotugnia digonopora (Pasquale, 1890) are of common occurrence. Life history studies by various workers (Horsfall, 1938; Chand, 1964b; Sawada, 1952a, b, 1953a; Reid and Nugara, 1961; Saran, 1966; and Mathur and Pande, 1969) have established the role of ants as the intermediate host for these tapeworms. Our studies on the biology and the host-parasite relationship of these tapeworms revealed that more than one species of ants serve as intermediate host for each of them. This paper deals with different species of ants, involved in the life cycle of R. tetragona, R. echinobothrida and C. digonopora, and the intensity and frequency of infection in them MATERIALS AND METHODS The following species of ants were collected from 25 poultry yards in Trivandrum during the period extending from July 1968 to March 1970;…

WHEN therapeutic doses of sulfamerazine for cecal coccidiosis in chickens were determined the question arose as to whether or not such doses were favorable for turkeys poults. Consequently, blood level studies were made during the administration of varying dosages of sulfamerazine and sulfamethazine to young turkey poults. Thorp et al. (1947) reported some blood levels of free sulfamerazine in chickens in a paper on the chemotherapy of cecal coccidiosis. Sodium sulfamerazine administered in a concentration of 0.2 percent in water for five days resulted in an average blood concentration of 13.68 mg. of free sulfamerazine per 100 ml. The feeding of a 1.0 percent sulfamerazine mash gave an average blood level of 27.68 mg. of free drug per 100 ml. of blood while a 0.25 percent concentration of sulfamerazine in mash resulted in an average of 8.26 mg. of free drug per 100 ml. of blood during a five-day treatment. . . .

SIZEMORE, Lillie, Denton and Bird (1953) reported the effect of a vitamin B12-antibiotic feed supplement to the chick diet upon the subsequent reproductive performance of Rhode Island Red pullets. When a vitamin B12 deficient breeder diet was fed, the hatchability of fertile eggs produced by pullets reared on antibiotic-supplemented diets was greater than that of fertile eggs produced by pullets reared without an antibiotic. In some cases the hatchability differences persisted throughout the first laying year of the experiment. To determine the duration of persistence of the hatchability differences, the experiment was carried through the second laying year and the results are presented in this paper. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The experimental procedure was the same during the second year as during the first year. Two cockerels per pen were substituted for the old males. The hens that were carried over into the second year had received as growing diets the Connecticut …

IN a previous paper by Deobald, Lease, Hart, and Halpin (1936) it was shown that the blood calcium of the laying pullet does not show any marked variation during an entire laying cycle and that approximately 10 percent of the calcium in the bones of a laying pullet is available for egg shell formation when the calcium is removed from the ration. Feinberg, Hughes, and Scott (1937) and Common (1936) have published data in substantial agreement with these findings. Common (1936) has shown quite wide variations in calcium content of the blood of individual hens over a four-month period when samples for analysis were taken at approximately monthly intervals. Riddle (1926) working with pigeons, and Roepke and Hughes (1935) working with laying pullets, have reported a marked rise in total serum phosphorus when the birds approach sexual maturity. The rise in blood calcium during this period is also well known . . .

IN THE summer hens in cages are exposed to two major sources of radiant heat—the roof and the ground. The apparent effectiveness of cooling live poultry with water has been discussed in an earlier paper (Wilson and Hillerman, 1952), as have methods of applying the water (Hart and Wilson, 1954; Wilson and Kelly, 1954). Herein are presented the results of three year’s investigation of the value of fogging (mist spraying) hens in cages. The objectives of these tests were (1) to determine the benefits of fogging, using mortality, egg production, egg weight, and egg shell thickness as indicators of comfort and (2) to find satisfactory criteria for designing poultry cooling systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS The procedure differed each year, but the objectives remained the same. All the tests were conducted at the University of California poultry farm at Davis, using two cage houses, which have previously been described in . . .

THE data of Heywang, Denton, and Bird (1949) show that the hatchability of eggs was not lowered when laying pullets were fed diets containing enough cottonseed meal to supply .012 percent free gossypol, but that hatchability was lowered appreciably when the diets contained enough cottonseed meal to supply .024 or .036 percent free gossypol. However, it was not possible to state definitely that only the gossypol in the cottonseed meal was responsible for the lowered hatchability because Boatner and co-workers (1948) reported that the growth of young chickens was only slightly retarded when pure gossypol was included in their diet. If components of cottonseed meal other than gossypol were chiefly responsible for cottonseed meal retarding the growth of young chickens, it seemed probable that they would also have an adverse effect on hatchability. Accordingly, the following statement was made in the summary of the published paper on our hatchability experiment: . . .

INTRODUCTION IT WAS previously observed by Bondi et al. (1955) and confirmed by Fuller and Morris (1962) that ethylene dibromide (EDB) adversely affects egg size and egg production of hens fed fumigated feed. The fumigant retarded follicle growth (Olomucki, 1957), resulting in reduced egg weight. Morris and Fuller (1963) observed a reduced growth rate and feed efficiency in chicks fed for two weeks on diets initially containing 80 p.p.m. EDB or more. Amir and Volcani (1965) reported drastically affected sperm characteristics from bulls receiving 2 mg./kg. body wieght EDB daily for two weeks. The present paper reports on a study undertaken to establish whether prolonged feeding with EDB-fumigated mash affects the growth and sexual development of male and female chicks as well as the fertility of mature male and female fowl. METHODS Fumigation and storage of the mash. Fumigation was performed twice weekly for 48-hr. periods, in hermetically sealed fumigation . . .

INTRODUCTION IN A RECENT paper Nalbandov and Card (1944a) reviewed the literature on blood and meat spots in chicken eggs. The proposed that “hemorrhages causing the formation of blood clots in eggs occur before ovulation” and that “meat spots result from the transformation of blood clots, under the influence of changes in pH and high environmental temperatures, either prior to ovulation or during egg formation, or even after the egg is laid.” Observations at the New Jersey Station during 1943–1944 on eggs from four breeds of chickens have supplied evidence which confirms this theory of the formation of meat spots. PROCEDURE All eggs laid by 166 pullets, hatched in late May or mid-June, were broken out and observed for the presence or absence of blood and meat spots. The observational period extended from November 1 through August 31. Forty of the pullets were Rhode Island Reds kept under so-called . . .

AN APPARENTLY new syndrome of broiler chickens characterized by droopiness, ruffled feathers, labored breathing and increasing morbidity and mortality was reported by Schmittle et al. (1958). Necropsy of chickens dying as a result of this disease revealed a hydropericardium, hydroperitoneum, swollen liver, swollen and pale kidneys, with a subcutaneous edema often present in the ventral portions of the body. Similar clinical signs and lesions were reported by Sanger et al. (1958). The disease was found to be caused by feeding certain fats in the ration. Preliminary results on feeding toxic fat to hens were presented at the 47th Annual Poultry Science Meeting by Edgar et al. (1958) and Naber et al. (1958). They found that toxic fat decreased egg production and hatchability in hens. The studies reported in this paper were carried out to determine what effect feeding fat that was toxic to broilers would have on laying hens and …

THE nutrient requirements of animals are ordinarily expressed as percent of diet. Baldini and Rosenberg (1955) reported that the methionine requirement of the chick expressed in this manner was not a constant but varied with the energy content of the diet. They postulated that such a relationship probably existed with other animals and other nutrients. Such was found to be the case with the lysine requirement of the rat (Rosenberg and Culik, 1955). The experiments reported in this paper were conducted to determine whether or not a similar relation existed for the turkey poult. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE This report summarizes the results of nine battery experiments, each of which employed ten treatments applied to duplicate groups of twelve day-old tom poults. Jersey Buffs were used in four experiments and Broad Breasted Bronze were used in five experiments. The length of each experiment was six weeks during which time weekly measurements of . . .

COMMERCIAL hatcherymen have observed that fertile eggs from pullets just starting to lay do not hatch well and that mortality rate in the chicks which do hatch is abnormally high. Sunde and Bird (1959) observed that both fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs was much lower in eggs from pullets just starting to lay than it was in eggs laid six weeks later. Much of the embryonic mortality in the first laid eggs occurred during the first week of incubation. Such dietary factors as vitamin levels, protein levels, antibiotic levels and vegetable vs. animal protein were found to have no effect on improving the hatchability of eggs from young breeder hens. This paper will present evidence that level of calcium in the laying diet may affect hatchability of eggs and growth and viability of chicks from pullets just starting to lay. EXPERIMENTAL The data to be presented were secured as …

IN A PREVIOUS paper by the authors (1937) the effect of feeding chickens a mineral deficient ration was demonstrated. It is the purpose of this experiment to demonstrate the inadvisability of attempting to fix the mineral content of the ration to obtain normal skeleton development. As our aim was to produce a normal skeleton it was presumed to be most essential that our observations be not confined to one group of birds, but to several groups. By such procedure an average picture of the normal skeletal growth would be secured, rather than a retarded or an accelerated growth, which might result from one mismanaged, or unhealthy group of birds. In view of possible differences between the skeletons of males and females of the same breed, or between the same sex of different breeds, it was considered necessary to make the following preliminary observations: (1) a radiological comparison of the males . . .

In the preceding paper1 experiments were reported in which studies were made of the calcium-phosphorus requirements of growing chicks under rachitic conditions. The minerals consisted of salt mixtures in which the calcium-phosphorus ratio was varied as well as the levels of mineral in the ration. Since satisfactory growth was not attained with these salt mixtures, it seemed advisable to use natural minerals in these studies. EXPERIMENTAL The general plan of these experiments as regards the methods of selection, feeding, and management of the chicks and the records kept were the same as used in the preceeding experiments.1 In the four trials reported in this paper Barred Plymouth Rock chicks were used. As in the previous experiments, precautions were taken to prevent the exposure of the chicks to direct sunlight, or even direct skylight. The composition of the rations is given in Tables I and II. The results obtained are given . . .

POULTRY breeders try to establish large egg size in their stock because present marketing agencies consider large eggs desirable. Information which contributes to a more thorough understanding of egg weight in the domestic fowl should be helpful to those breeders who are attempting to establish this character in their stock. This paper reports the results obtained at the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station from a study of the relationship of body weight and egg weight in chickens. DATA The data used for this investigation were obtained from records on White Plymouth Rock pullets which were hatched in ten consecutive weekly hatches beginning the first week in February, 1932. Each hatch received the same general care and management while being brooded and reared. The pullets kept were considered suitable for laying purposes. They were divided into eight pens and fed experimental rations but there was no significant differences in the size of . . .

THE general problem deals with feed utilization efficiency as a measure of over-all performance and as a criterion for selection in a breeding program. In particular, we wish to consider how important it is to measure feed consumption directly to validly estimate feed efficiency. Even though this paper deals specifically with the efficiency of egg production in laying hens, we believe the concept is applicable to any class of animals which is fed primarily to produce an animal product. A performance index, to be most useful, should reflect production output, market value and costs of production. Typically, the largest production cost is feed. In most random-sample poultry tests, differences in performance between entries are based on records of income over feed and chick costs. The question is if feed measurement sufficiently enhances the estimation of performance efficiency to justify the additional work required. This would be especially important if a…

IT has previously been reported from this laboratory by Bauernfeind, Schumacher, Hodson, Norris, and Heuser (1938a, 1938b), Bauernfeind and Norris (1939), and Schumacher and Heuser (1939) that chicks and hens require a factor or factors for growth and reproduction other than those recognized at the time. This factor or factors can be precipitated from a water solution (from yeast) by the addition of ethyl alcohol. Stokstad and Manning (1938) and Stokstad (1938) have also shown that chicks require an additional factor (factor “U”) previously unrecognized. Whether this factor is identical with the factor reported in this paper cannot be stated at the present time. Recently Stokstad, Manning, and Rogers (1940) have shown that their factor “U” is a complex consisting of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and an unidentified growth factor. It is hardly conceivable that the alcohol-precipitate factor can be pyridoxine, since the basal diet used in these studies contains cane . . .

IN A PREVIOUS paper,2 the author reported a study of the effect of fattening on the composition of the edible portions of cockerels reared on different diets, some on range and others in confinement. In the present paper a study of the effect of fattening at different ages on the composition of the edible portions of cockerels is presented. Mitchell, Card, and Hamilton,4,5 have presented the results of extensive analyses of White Plymouth Rock and White Leghorn chickens of different ages, but these reports do not include the effect of fattening on composition, nor was there a separation of the various edible portions, with the exception of the edible organs. Maw3 has given the percentage of total edible portions in broilers and roasters, but did not separate the various edible portions nor analyze them chemically. METHOD OF INVESTIGATION The plan of this experiment was to select birds reared under identical . . .

IN A previous paper reporting experiments on 96 turkeys, Marsden et al. (1952a) identified fleshing and fat grades with variety and sex of roasting turkeys 28 to 30 weeks old, and associated fat grade with juiciness of breast of the roasted birds. Alexander et al. (1948 (1951a) published figures on yield of cooked edible portion of 73 turkeys, ranging in age from 8 to 289 weeks, as related to fleshing and fat grades, variety, sex, and age, and also to the cooking methods used. From 24 to 30 percent of turkeys marketed on, farms during 1950–54 were graded in compliance with regulations of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, according to information provided by the Agricultural Marketing Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture. Market grades for dressed turkeys of different sex and age classification are determined largely by plumpness of breast and degree of fatness or finish, although pinfeathers, . . .

IN AN earlier paper (Nalbandov and Card, 1944) the work done at the Illinois Experiment Station from 1940 to 1943 on the physiology of blood and meat spots was summarized. The conclusions reached at that time were, in brief, as follows. Blood clots are due to the rupturing of blood vessels in the follicle wall, sometime prior to ovulation and during the active growing phase of the follicle. If the bleeding is insignificant in amount the resulting clot will adhere to the vitelline membrane and will remain attached to the yolk while the latter passes through the oviduct. If the bleeding is extensive the blood will accumulate in the hollow stalk of the follicle, the clot appearing in the laid egg not attached to the yolk but floating free in the albumen. Meat spots also frequently become detached from the yolk presumably under the influence of the chemical changes which . . .