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Eye Colour as an Indication of Viability and Productive Capacity
433
RESEARCH NOTES
that were frozen following collection contained little or none of the factor. These results indicate that the synthesis of the unidentified chick growth factor or factors in hen feces takes place, at least in most TABLE 2.—The influence of incubated and frozen hen part, after voiding of the feces and not to feces on chick growth and mortality any extent in the. digestive tract. factor or factors. Only a slight growth response was obtained with hen feces that were frozen following collection. The alcohol-soluble liver fraction gave slightly
Supplement to basal diet
at 4 weeks (gms./kg.) (gms.) None 160 1 alcohol-soluble liver fraction 238 20.8 frozen hen feces 174 20.8 incubated hen feces 216
taHtv y
(Percent) 25.0 4.1 12.5 4.1
Data presented showed that incubating hen feces for seventy-two hours at 30°C. stimulated the synthesis of an unidentified factor or factors required by chicks for maximum growth and livability. Feces
JOAN M. STEVENS KERMIT GROVES
Divisions of Poultry Husbandry and Chemistry Washington Agricultural Experiment Station Pullman, Washington Received for publication April 7, 1947. REFERENCES
McGinnis, J., 1946. Unpublished data. McGinnis, J., and J. S. Carver, 1947. The storage of an unidentified growth factor or factors in the egg and its relation to chick growth and mortality. Poultry Sci. (In press). Rubin, M., H. R. Bird, and I. Rothchild, 1946. A growth promoting factor for chicks in the feces of hens. Poultry Sci. 25: 526-528.
EYE COLOUR AS AN INDICATION OF VIABILITY AND PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY Observations over a period of years with Single Comb White Leghorns at the Dominion Experimental Station, Saanichton, B.C., suggested a possible correlation between eye colour and viability, as well as between this criterion and productive capacity of the flock. After five years breeding work with families selected for good eye colour, results indicate that this is an important factor to be considered in the mating pen. In view of the delicate nature of the criterion, that is the eye and the colours involved, it soon became apparent that it would be extremely difficult to attempt other than a subjective approach to its estimation. As other factors than colour, brightness and clearness of the eye were involved, such as shape of the iris and
pupil, these all tended to make the investigation more complex. It could not be accurately determined to what extent the colour and shape factors might be related to the so-called iritis form of the leucosis complex, consequently no attempt was made to relate these findings to that disease condition. The observed effects reported herein may, therefore, be a result of physiological factors which have their expression in eye pigment and/ or an impairment of the visual organ as a result of a specific disease entity. Van der Meulen (1938) found that in a flock of White Leghorns production was lower and mortality greater in birds with abnormally coloured eyes than was the case for tirds with eyes of normal colour.
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better growth than the incubated hen feces. SUMMARY
JAMES MCGINNIS
434
RESEARCH NOTES
, . e classi-
r
1942 1943 1944 1945 1946
Average number of eggs Mortality
:
Total birds
Living birds
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 2
16 234 59 191 163 87 157 93 143 142
15 192 56 139 148 68 152 76 133 112
Per cent 6.2 17.9 5.6 27.3 9.2 20.6 3.8 18.2 6.9 21.1
223.5 174.7 216.4 154.2 212.5 183.0 239.4 189.9 234.4 182.4
238.4 212.7 220.7 179.1 223.2 2C4.5 240.9 205.5 236.7 2C8.9
Grade 1 Grade 2
538 747
503 587
6.5 21.4
224.8 176.6
231.7 201.8
Marble (1939) working with both White Leghorns and Barred Plymouth Rocks recorded significant differences in mortality in favour of birds with normal as opposed to grey eyes. He found no differences in egg production. Ball (1946) dealing with two strains of White Leghorns, one susceptible and the other resistant to leucosis, found both mortality and production to be related to colour of iris in the susceptible strain but not in the resistant one. His data suggest a possible variation in the relation of these characters depending upon the strain of birds under consideration. Results at Saanichton are based on a five year period, from 1942-46, and are limited to the Single Comb White Leghorn breed. The following is the basis for differentiation of the two groups of pullets eventually established. All pullets, however, mingled together in the same flock at random regardless of grade of eye. Grade 1. Pupil bright, clear, distinct and perfectly round. The iris should be a solid reddish or light bay colour. Grade 2. All birds not qualifying for grade 1 above.
The differences both in mortality and egg production shown in the above table were examined statistically. All differences in both criteria were found to be highly significant ( 1 % point). It is evident from the above that level of both mortality and egg production are highly correlated with eye condition. It is apparent therefore, that selection on the basis here practised would result in an important economic saving. Whether the particular criterion used in this instance is specific for this flock, or for the White Leghorn breed only, is yet to be determined. The observations of Marble (loc. cit.) would suggest that somewhat similar criteria have given comparable results on' other Leghorn and Barred Rock flocks while the work of Ball (loc. cit.) suggests the individual flock or strain to be a possible factor of importance. Consequently, this work is being extended to cover several breeds during the coming summer at other Experimental Stations. R. A. SANSBURY Dominion Experimental Station Saanichton, British Columbia
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 12, 2015
Total
Number of birds
435
RESEARCH NOTES . REFERENCES
Ball, R. F., 1946. The relationship of iris colour to mortality and egg production in Single Comb White Leghorns. Poultry Sci. 25: 105-114. Marble, D. R., 1939. Breeding poultry for viability
Penn. Agric. Expt. Sta. Bull. 377. Van der Meulen, J. B., 1938. Het verband tusschen de oogkleur van Witte Leghorns en de Herfte en de productie. Landbouwkundig Tijdschrift, 50: 868.-
NICOTINIC ACID CONTENT OF SQUAB AND PIGEON TISSUES and Handler, 1941 and Krehl, Strong and Elvehjem, 1943) of the breast muscle, leg muscle, and liver of male and female squabs and pigeons. The pigeons were fed a diet assayed to contain 42 micros grams of nicotinic acid per gram for several months prior to assay of their tissues. The age of the squabs was three weeks and that of the pigeons two to five years when the determinations were made. The results of these assays are given in table 1.
TABLE I.—Micrograms of nicotinic acid per gram of breast and leg muscles and of liver of squabs and pigeons No. of birds
Breast muscle
Leg muscle
Liver
4 3 8 8
71 ± 3.12 80+10.33 ' 60± 3.02 85 ±11.61
57+2.18 55+8.09 41 + 1.91 51 ±4.67
108±2.56 107 ±5.03 115+6.77 113 ±3.84
Male squabs Female squabs Male pigeons Female pigeons Values expressed on fresh-wet basis
muscle to all other muscular tissues thus far investigated as a source of nicotinic acid suggested the possibility that the high level of this vitamin might be associated with the low hemoglobin content characteristic of this muscle. The breast muscle of the pigeon, unlike that of the chicken, is dark in color due to the content of hemoglobin. In view of this and because the nicotinic acid content of squab and pigeon tissues had not been reported, it was considered desirable to make this investigation. The estimations of the vitamin were made by microbiological assay (Dann
Of the three tissues, the liver contained the greatest amount of nicotinic acid. The breast muscle contained considerably less than the liver and the leg muscle contained considerably less than the breast. It may be noted from the table that wide variations occurred within each group. These variations were especially large in female pigeon breast and female squab breast. Such variations exclude any conclusion as to the effect of age or sex on the vitamin content. The average values reported,here for squabs were 75, 56, and 108 micrograms of nicotinic acid per gram for breast muscle, leg muscle, and
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 12, 2015
Denton, Kellogg and Bird found the nicotinic acid content of growing chickens to be affected by age and vitamin intake. The breast muscle, leg muscle, and liver of 12 week old chickens, raised on a diet containing 50 micrograms of nicotinic acid per gram, contained 136, 60, and 95 micrograms of nicotinic acid per gram, respectively. These values appear to be fairly representative of chickens of marketable age, raised on a commercial diet. The superiority of chicken breast
RESEARCH NOTES
that were frozen following collection contained little or none of the factor. These results indicate that the synthesis of the unidentified chick growth factor or factors in hen feces takes place, at least in most TABLE 2.—The influence of incubated and frozen hen part, after voiding of the feces and not to feces on chick growth and mortality any extent in the. digestive tract. factor or factors. Only a slight growth response was obtained with hen feces that were frozen following collection. The alcohol-soluble liver fraction gave slightly
Supplement to basal diet
at 4 weeks (gms./kg.) (gms.) None 160 1 alcohol-soluble liver fraction 238 20.8 frozen hen feces 174 20.8 incubated hen feces 216
taHtv y
(Percent) 25.0 4.1 12.5 4.1
Data presented showed that incubating hen feces for seventy-two hours at 30°C. stimulated the synthesis of an unidentified factor or factors required by chicks for maximum growth and livability. Feces
JOAN M. STEVENS KERMIT GROVES
Divisions of Poultry Husbandry and Chemistry Washington Agricultural Experiment Station Pullman, Washington Received for publication April 7, 1947. REFERENCES
McGinnis, J., 1946. Unpublished data. McGinnis, J., and J. S. Carver, 1947. The storage of an unidentified growth factor or factors in the egg and its relation to chick growth and mortality. Poultry Sci. (In press). Rubin, M., H. R. Bird, and I. Rothchild, 1946. A growth promoting factor for chicks in the feces of hens. Poultry Sci. 25: 526-528.
EYE COLOUR AS AN INDICATION OF VIABILITY AND PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY Observations over a period of years with Single Comb White Leghorns at the Dominion Experimental Station, Saanichton, B.C., suggested a possible correlation between eye colour and viability, as well as between this criterion and productive capacity of the flock. After five years breeding work with families selected for good eye colour, results indicate that this is an important factor to be considered in the mating pen. In view of the delicate nature of the criterion, that is the eye and the colours involved, it soon became apparent that it would be extremely difficult to attempt other than a subjective approach to its estimation. As other factors than colour, brightness and clearness of the eye were involved, such as shape of the iris and
pupil, these all tended to make the investigation more complex. It could not be accurately determined to what extent the colour and shape factors might be related to the so-called iritis form of the leucosis complex, consequently no attempt was made to relate these findings to that disease condition. The observed effects reported herein may, therefore, be a result of physiological factors which have their expression in eye pigment and/ or an impairment of the visual organ as a result of a specific disease entity. Van der Meulen (1938) found that in a flock of White Leghorns production was lower and mortality greater in birds with abnormally coloured eyes than was the case for tirds with eyes of normal colour.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 12, 2015
better growth than the incubated hen feces. SUMMARY
JAMES MCGINNIS
434
RESEARCH NOTES
, . e classi-
r
1942 1943 1944 1945 1946
Average number of eggs Mortality
:
Total birds
Living birds
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 2
16 234 59 191 163 87 157 93 143 142
15 192 56 139 148 68 152 76 133 112
Per cent 6.2 17.9 5.6 27.3 9.2 20.6 3.8 18.2 6.9 21.1
223.5 174.7 216.4 154.2 212.5 183.0 239.4 189.9 234.4 182.4
238.4 212.7 220.7 179.1 223.2 2C4.5 240.9 205.5 236.7 2C8.9
Grade 1 Grade 2
538 747
503 587
6.5 21.4
224.8 176.6
231.7 201.8
Marble (1939) working with both White Leghorns and Barred Plymouth Rocks recorded significant differences in mortality in favour of birds with normal as opposed to grey eyes. He found no differences in egg production. Ball (1946) dealing with two strains of White Leghorns, one susceptible and the other resistant to leucosis, found both mortality and production to be related to colour of iris in the susceptible strain but not in the resistant one. His data suggest a possible variation in the relation of these characters depending upon the strain of birds under consideration. Results at Saanichton are based on a five year period, from 1942-46, and are limited to the Single Comb White Leghorn breed. The following is the basis for differentiation of the two groups of pullets eventually established. All pullets, however, mingled together in the same flock at random regardless of grade of eye. Grade 1. Pupil bright, clear, distinct and perfectly round. The iris should be a solid reddish or light bay colour. Grade 2. All birds not qualifying for grade 1 above.
The differences both in mortality and egg production shown in the above table were examined statistically. All differences in both criteria were found to be highly significant ( 1 % point). It is evident from the above that level of both mortality and egg production are highly correlated with eye condition. It is apparent therefore, that selection on the basis here practised would result in an important economic saving. Whether the particular criterion used in this instance is specific for this flock, or for the White Leghorn breed only, is yet to be determined. The observations of Marble (loc. cit.) would suggest that somewhat similar criteria have given comparable results on' other Leghorn and Barred Rock flocks while the work of Ball (loc. cit.) suggests the individual flock or strain to be a possible factor of importance. Consequently, this work is being extended to cover several breeds during the coming summer at other Experimental Stations. R. A. SANSBURY Dominion Experimental Station Saanichton, British Columbia
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 12, 2015
Total
Number of birds
435
RESEARCH NOTES . REFERENCES
Ball, R. F., 1946. The relationship of iris colour to mortality and egg production in Single Comb White Leghorns. Poultry Sci. 25: 105-114. Marble, D. R., 1939. Breeding poultry for viability
Penn. Agric. Expt. Sta. Bull. 377. Van der Meulen, J. B., 1938. Het verband tusschen de oogkleur van Witte Leghorns en de Herfte en de productie. Landbouwkundig Tijdschrift, 50: 868.-
NICOTINIC ACID CONTENT OF SQUAB AND PIGEON TISSUES and Handler, 1941 and Krehl, Strong and Elvehjem, 1943) of the breast muscle, leg muscle, and liver of male and female squabs and pigeons. The pigeons were fed a diet assayed to contain 42 micros grams of nicotinic acid per gram for several months prior to assay of their tissues. The age of the squabs was three weeks and that of the pigeons two to five years when the determinations were made. The results of these assays are given in table 1.
TABLE I.—Micrograms of nicotinic acid per gram of breast and leg muscles and of liver of squabs and pigeons No. of birds
Breast muscle
Leg muscle
Liver
4 3 8 8
71 ± 3.12 80+10.33 ' 60± 3.02 85 ±11.61
57+2.18 55+8.09 41 + 1.91 51 ±4.67
108±2.56 107 ±5.03 115+6.77 113 ±3.84
Male squabs Female squabs Male pigeons Female pigeons Values expressed on fresh-wet basis
muscle to all other muscular tissues thus far investigated as a source of nicotinic acid suggested the possibility that the high level of this vitamin might be associated with the low hemoglobin content characteristic of this muscle. The breast muscle of the pigeon, unlike that of the chicken, is dark in color due to the content of hemoglobin. In view of this and because the nicotinic acid content of squab and pigeon tissues had not been reported, it was considered desirable to make this investigation. The estimations of the vitamin were made by microbiological assay (Dann
Of the three tissues, the liver contained the greatest amount of nicotinic acid. The breast muscle contained considerably less than the liver and the leg muscle contained considerably less than the breast. It may be noted from the table that wide variations occurred within each group. These variations were especially large in female pigeon breast and female squab breast. Such variations exclude any conclusion as to the effect of age or sex on the vitamin content. The average values reported,here for squabs were 75, 56, and 108 micrograms of nicotinic acid per gram for breast muscle, leg muscle, and
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ by guest on June 12, 2015
Denton, Kellogg and Bird found the nicotinic acid content of growing chickens to be affected by age and vitamin intake. The breast muscle, leg muscle, and liver of 12 week old chickens, raised on a diet containing 50 micrograms of nicotinic acid per gram, contained 136, 60, and 95 micrograms of nicotinic acid per gram, respectively. These values appear to be fairly representative of chickens of marketable age, raised on a commercial diet. The superiority of chicken breast