Vitamin-A deficiency in turkeys

does not appear. First page follows. Losses from obscure causes on certain California turkey ranges, where green feed is limited during much of the growing season, suggested the need for studies on vitamin-A deficiency in turkeys. The experiments reported herein were outlined to determine the possible relation of A-avitaminosis4 to turkey mortality and to obtain information concerning the effect on turkeys of various vitamin-A levels. A-avitaminosis in chickens has been fully described by Beach(1), Emmett and Peacock?(3), Seifried(10), Elvehjem and Neu(4), and many other investigators, so that the pathological changes in chickens are well established. Chicks were included in one experiment as a control on the methods used and as a basis for comparing A-avitaminosis in the two species. Scott and Hughes(9), using yellow corn as the source of vitamin A, showed that turkeys required more vitamin A than did chickens. This paper is concerned chiefly with the disease phases of the problem. Because published data on the vitamin-A requirements of turkeys are limited, the results on the comparative value of dehydrated alfalfa-leaf meal for turkeys and chickens are also included. Certain vitamin-A liver storage data collected in connection with the experiments have already been published by Guilbert and Hinshaw.(6)