Eimeria Necatrix Infections and Oleic Acid Absorption in Broilers

The effect of Eimeria necatrix infections of the middle small intestine upon the absorption of orally administered zinc-65 has been previously reported (Turk and Stephens, 1966). The present report extends these studies to include another nutrient: oleic acid. PROCEDURE The procedures outlined in the previous report (Turk and Stephens, 1966) were followed with these modifications: 1. A capsule containing 20 μc. of I–131 labeled oleic acid (Abbott Laboratories, Oak Ridge, Tennessee) was orally administered, concurrently with a capsule containing 50 μc. of zinc-65, to each experimental bird. 2. The amount of zinc-65 and I-131 in each blood sample was determined in a well crystal scintillation detector attached to a dual channel spectrometer adjusted for the photopeaks of each isotope. 3. Sixty thousand sporulated oocysts of E. necatrix were administered orally to each bird in the infected groups. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 1 summarizes the effects of E. necatrix infection …