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Incidence of Gizzard Erosion
Incidence of Gizzard Erosion T. B. CHARLES, J. H. GILLESPIE, R. C. DURGIN, AND C. L. MARTIN
New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, Durham, N.H. (Received for publication February 7, 1941)
HROUGH the courtesy of 22 poultry departments at various state experiment stations, this study of the incidence of gizzard erosion was made possible. Fifty to seventy-five eggs were furnished, gratis, by these departments, shipped to Durham, New Hampshire, and all hatched out in one incubator under identical conditions. Sixtyeight eggs each from two typical pens of
New Hampshires from the college flock were also included. These eggs were set on May 23, 1940, hatching June 13, 1940, with the exception of two lots that arrived later and hatched on June 17, 1940. As may be noted from Table 1, a total of 715 chicks hatched, or 53.6 percent of total eggs set. It should be borne in mind that these eggs were shipped in many cases
TABLE 1.—Summary of gizzard erosion study— eggs supplied by various ex periment stations
Lot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Breed
Barred Plymouth Rocks.... R. I. Reds R. I. Reds Barred Plymouth Rocks or R. I. Reds R. I. Reds Reds & Rocks White Leghorns New Hampshires R. I. Reds White Leghorns R. I. Reds White Leghorns
White Leghorns
No. No. eggs chicks set hatched 50 56 49 60 58 75
20 25 21 43 35 54
59 51 59 37 23 50 52 68 68 55 47 49 51 54 50 60 54 50 47
3 11 32 26 18 33 25 58 49 14 30 42 10 42 26 28 40 10 20
1,332
715 53.6 percent hatch
Gizzard condition (males) 1 2 1
2 1
2 1
1 1 2
2
3
3 9 11 9 10 9
6 1 1 8 9 14
2 1 9 9 2 9 5 20 13 6 8 10 2 13 7 8 20 2 8
1 1 5 6 7 5 5 5 9 2 2 6 2 7 2 1 2 4 2
13 205 113
(total 356
4
Gizzard condition (females) 5
1
2
3
9 11 6 14 3 11
2 1 3 8 8 10
4 9 7 5 14 11 18 16 4 14 17 4 17 7 14 13 2 6
1 7 3 2 3 4 7 6 1 3 7 1 3 8 4 1 1 3
15 236
97
1 3 4 7
1
3
1
1 1 1 2 1 1
—
5 2 1 1 1 2
1 25 males)
4
5
— 3
—
1 1
1 1
2
1
—
1 9
2
(total 359 females)
CODE: No. 1, normal lining. No. 2, very small hemorrhages. No. 3, more extensive damage lining. No. 4, rather widespread involvement. No. 5, severe hemorrhages over wide area. [447]
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at H.E.C. Bibliotheque Myriam & J. Robert Ouimet on June 16, 2015
T
448
T. B. CHARLES, J. H. GILLESPIE, R. C. DURGIN, AND C. L. MARTIN TABLE 2.--Summary
of gizzard erosion stttdy by breeds
Condition 1
Condition 2
Condition 3
Condition 4
Condition 5
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
6 3
3.44 3.33
51 33 9 14
29.31 36.66 39.13 26.41
4 15 3 3
2.29 16.66 13.04 5.66
—
5.66
64.94 43.33 47.82 62.26
—
3
113 39 11 33
5 2 1 7
2.63 2.43 4.34 12.96
136 45 14 34
71.57 54.87 60.86 62.96
43 30 8 13
22.63 36.58 34.78 24.07
5 4
2.63 4.87
1 1
.52 1.21
— —
•—• —
— —
— —
Total
Breed (Males) S. C. White Leghorns R. I. Reds Rocks & Crosses.. . . New Hampshires. . .
174 90 23 53
S. C. White Leghorns R. I. Reds Rocks &r Crosses.... New Hampshires. . . Condition Condition Condition Condition Condition
190 82 23 54
1. Normal lining. 2. Very small hemorrhages. 3. More extensive damage of lining. 4. Rather widespread involvement. 5. Severe hemorrhages over wide area.
from long distances; also in one or two cases that poor fertility and damage in transit caused poor hatching results. These chicks were all examined and classified as to (1) sex and (2) degree of gizzard erosion. As indicated, only 13 males and 15 females showed a normal gizzard condition as examined by the naked eye. In order to study this material more adequately, we have separated the breeds and compiled data for each. Table 2 covers the results by breeds. In the White Leghorns 11 chicks out of 364 showed a normal gizzard lining. This represents about 3.02 percent of the total number of chicks that hatched. In the case of the Rhode Island
Reds, 172 chicks hatched from the eggs sent us, and of these, five chicks showed normal gizzards, or an average of 2.9 percent normals. In the Barred Plymouth Rocks and Crosses, of a total of 46 chicks hatched only one gizzard was found to be normal or 2.17 percent of this group. Included in this hatch were two lots of New Hampshire eggs from our college poultry farm. Ten chicks showed normal gizzard condition out of a total of 87 hatched or 9.34 percent normal. A total of 715 chicks were hatched out and their gizzards studied. Of this total, 28 gizzards were normal when examined and
TABLE 3.—Geographical variation in gizzard erosion Condition 1
Condition 2
No.
%
No.
%
No.
North Atlantic. . E. North Central W. North Central South Atlantic... South Central. . . West
20 2 4 1 1 0
5.602 1.980 2.469 3.030 3.571 0
222 59 100 22 22 16
62.185 58.416 61.728 66.667 78.571 53.333
100 32 51 9 5 13
Condition Condition Condition Condition Condition
Condition 4
Condition 5
%
No.
%
No.
%
28.011 31.683 31.482 27.273 17.857 43.333
14 8 6 1 0 1
3.922 7.921 3.704 3.030 0 3.333
1 0 1 0 0 0
.280 0 .617 0 0 0
Condition 3
Degree of Erosion
Total
1. Normal lining. 2. Very small hemorrhages. 3. More extensive damage of lining. 4. Rather widespread involvement. 5. Severe hemorrhages over wide area.
357 101 162 33 28 30
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at H.E.C. Bibliotheque Myriam & J. Robert Ouimet on June 16, 2015
(Females)
INCIDENCE OF GIZZARD EROSION
TABLE 4.—Summary of experiment station chicks Degree of Erosion
Males
Females %
No.
%
1 (Normal) 2 3 4 5
13 205 113 25
3.651 57.584 31.741 7.022
15 236 97 9 2
4.178 65.738 27.019 2.506 .557
Total
356
99.998
359
99.998
Combining 1+2 1+2 61.235% Combining 1+2+3 92.976% 1+2+3
69.916% 96.333%
the balance, 687, showed some degree of ulceration or erosion. In other words, only 3.9 percent of all chicks examined had normal gizzards. Geographical variation in gizzard erosion was studied and summarized in Table 3. The number of gizzards in some lots provides insufficient data from which to draw any significant conclusions. It appears, however, that in the areas adjacent to the Atlantic seaboard and the gulf a slightly better gizzard prevails than in areas more removed. However, if we consider the severity of the injury to the gizzard lining and combine conditions 4 and 5, we secure an encouraging picture; namely, severe lesions occur in only about 3.1 percent of the gizzards of the females, and about 6.1 percent of the gizzards of the males. In order to see if sex had any influence on the occurrence of gizzard erosion, all chicks were examined for sex and the gizzards classified accordingly (see Table 4). This summary indicates that there is probably no relationship between sex and gizzard erosion. If, however, we consider the most severe gizzard ulcerations, the males seem to be more severely affected.
DISCUSSION
During the past few years, reports have become more frequent as to chick losses due to gizzard erosions. J. G. Halpin and coworkers at the Wisconsin Station have reported on an antigizzard lesions factor found in oats and wheat. T. H. Jukes at the California Experiment Station has reported that some factor in desiccated ox gall has been beneficial in correcting gizzard erosion in chicks. Work at this station has indicated that the feeding of desiccated ox gall to the breeders at the rate of 1 percent of the total ration has had some beneficial effect on the gizzard condition of chicks subsequently hatched. This study was undertaken to secure information as to how widely spread gizzard erosion might be in day-old chicks, from as many states as possible. Studies of gross lesions, as well as tissue sections, indicates that the damage to the gizzard lining was of a similar nature in all lots of chicks. SUMMARY
1. Hatchability of all eggs set averaged S3.6 percent. 2. Out of a total of 715 gizzards examined, only 28 were normal when examined with the naked eye. This represents 3.9 percent normal gizzards of all chicks examined. 3. There is probably no relationship between sex and incidence of gizzard erosion. However, there seems to be a slight tendency for the males to have somewhat more severe ulcerations than the females. 4. It would appear that the incidence of gizzard erosion is widespread and represents the usual condition under a wide variation of environment of the breeders.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at H.E.C. Bibliotheque Myriam & J. Robert Ouimet on June 16, 2015
No.
449
New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, Durham, N.H. (Received for publication February 7, 1941)
HROUGH the courtesy of 22 poultry departments at various state experiment stations, this study of the incidence of gizzard erosion was made possible. Fifty to seventy-five eggs were furnished, gratis, by these departments, shipped to Durham, New Hampshire, and all hatched out in one incubator under identical conditions. Sixtyeight eggs each from two typical pens of
New Hampshires from the college flock were also included. These eggs were set on May 23, 1940, hatching June 13, 1940, with the exception of two lots that arrived later and hatched on June 17, 1940. As may be noted from Table 1, a total of 715 chicks hatched, or 53.6 percent of total eggs set. It should be borne in mind that these eggs were shipped in many cases
TABLE 1.—Summary of gizzard erosion study— eggs supplied by various ex periment stations
Lot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Breed
Barred Plymouth Rocks.... R. I. Reds R. I. Reds Barred Plymouth Rocks or R. I. Reds R. I. Reds Reds & Rocks White Leghorns New Hampshires R. I. Reds White Leghorns R. I. Reds White Leghorns
White Leghorns
No. No. eggs chicks set hatched 50 56 49 60 58 75
20 25 21 43 35 54
59 51 59 37 23 50 52 68 68 55 47 49 51 54 50 60 54 50 47
3 11 32 26 18 33 25 58 49 14 30 42 10 42 26 28 40 10 20
1,332
715 53.6 percent hatch
Gizzard condition (males) 1 2 1
2 1
2 1
1 1 2
2
3
3 9 11 9 10 9
6 1 1 8 9 14
2 1 9 9 2 9 5 20 13 6 8 10 2 13 7 8 20 2 8
1 1 5 6 7 5 5 5 9 2 2 6 2 7 2 1 2 4 2
13 205 113
(total 356
4
Gizzard condition (females) 5
1
2
3
9 11 6 14 3 11
2 1 3 8 8 10
4 9 7 5 14 11 18 16 4 14 17 4 17 7 14 13 2 6
1 7 3 2 3 4 7 6 1 3 7 1 3 8 4 1 1 3
15 236
97
1 3 4 7
1
3
1
1 1 1 2 1 1
—
5 2 1 1 1 2
1 25 males)
4
5
— 3
—
1 1
1 1
2
1
—
1 9
2
(total 359 females)
CODE: No. 1, normal lining. No. 2, very small hemorrhages. No. 3, more extensive damage lining. No. 4, rather widespread involvement. No. 5, severe hemorrhages over wide area. [447]
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at H.E.C. Bibliotheque Myriam & J. Robert Ouimet on June 16, 2015
T
448
T. B. CHARLES, J. H. GILLESPIE, R. C. DURGIN, AND C. L. MARTIN TABLE 2.--Summary
of gizzard erosion stttdy by breeds
Condition 1
Condition 2
Condition 3
Condition 4
Condition 5
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
6 3
3.44 3.33
51 33 9 14
29.31 36.66 39.13 26.41
4 15 3 3
2.29 16.66 13.04 5.66
—
5.66
64.94 43.33 47.82 62.26
—
3
113 39 11 33
5 2 1 7
2.63 2.43 4.34 12.96
136 45 14 34
71.57 54.87 60.86 62.96
43 30 8 13
22.63 36.58 34.78 24.07
5 4
2.63 4.87
1 1
.52 1.21
— —
•—• —
— —
— —
Total
Breed (Males) S. C. White Leghorns R. I. Reds Rocks & Crosses.. . . New Hampshires. . .
174 90 23 53
S. C. White Leghorns R. I. Reds Rocks &r Crosses.... New Hampshires. . . Condition Condition Condition Condition Condition
190 82 23 54
1. Normal lining. 2. Very small hemorrhages. 3. More extensive damage of lining. 4. Rather widespread involvement. 5. Severe hemorrhages over wide area.
from long distances; also in one or two cases that poor fertility and damage in transit caused poor hatching results. These chicks were all examined and classified as to (1) sex and (2) degree of gizzard erosion. As indicated, only 13 males and 15 females showed a normal gizzard condition as examined by the naked eye. In order to study this material more adequately, we have separated the breeds and compiled data for each. Table 2 covers the results by breeds. In the White Leghorns 11 chicks out of 364 showed a normal gizzard lining. This represents about 3.02 percent of the total number of chicks that hatched. In the case of the Rhode Island
Reds, 172 chicks hatched from the eggs sent us, and of these, five chicks showed normal gizzards, or an average of 2.9 percent normals. In the Barred Plymouth Rocks and Crosses, of a total of 46 chicks hatched only one gizzard was found to be normal or 2.17 percent of this group. Included in this hatch were two lots of New Hampshire eggs from our college poultry farm. Ten chicks showed normal gizzard condition out of a total of 87 hatched or 9.34 percent normal. A total of 715 chicks were hatched out and their gizzards studied. Of this total, 28 gizzards were normal when examined and
TABLE 3.—Geographical variation in gizzard erosion Condition 1
Condition 2
No.
%
No.
%
No.
North Atlantic. . E. North Central W. North Central South Atlantic... South Central. . . West
20 2 4 1 1 0
5.602 1.980 2.469 3.030 3.571 0
222 59 100 22 22 16
62.185 58.416 61.728 66.667 78.571 53.333
100 32 51 9 5 13
Condition Condition Condition Condition Condition
Condition 4
Condition 5
%
No.
%
No.
%
28.011 31.683 31.482 27.273 17.857 43.333
14 8 6 1 0 1
3.922 7.921 3.704 3.030 0 3.333
1 0 1 0 0 0
.280 0 .617 0 0 0
Condition 3
Degree of Erosion
Total
1. Normal lining. 2. Very small hemorrhages. 3. More extensive damage of lining. 4. Rather widespread involvement. 5. Severe hemorrhages over wide area.
357 101 162 33 28 30
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at H.E.C. Bibliotheque Myriam & J. Robert Ouimet on June 16, 2015
(Females)
INCIDENCE OF GIZZARD EROSION
TABLE 4.—Summary of experiment station chicks Degree of Erosion
Males
Females %
No.
%
1 (Normal) 2 3 4 5
13 205 113 25
3.651 57.584 31.741 7.022
15 236 97 9 2
4.178 65.738 27.019 2.506 .557
Total
356
99.998
359
99.998
Combining 1+2 1+2 61.235% Combining 1+2+3 92.976% 1+2+3
69.916% 96.333%
the balance, 687, showed some degree of ulceration or erosion. In other words, only 3.9 percent of all chicks examined had normal gizzards. Geographical variation in gizzard erosion was studied and summarized in Table 3. The number of gizzards in some lots provides insufficient data from which to draw any significant conclusions. It appears, however, that in the areas adjacent to the Atlantic seaboard and the gulf a slightly better gizzard prevails than in areas more removed. However, if we consider the severity of the injury to the gizzard lining and combine conditions 4 and 5, we secure an encouraging picture; namely, severe lesions occur in only about 3.1 percent of the gizzards of the females, and about 6.1 percent of the gizzards of the males. In order to see if sex had any influence on the occurrence of gizzard erosion, all chicks were examined for sex and the gizzards classified accordingly (see Table 4). This summary indicates that there is probably no relationship between sex and gizzard erosion. If, however, we consider the most severe gizzard ulcerations, the males seem to be more severely affected.
DISCUSSION
During the past few years, reports have become more frequent as to chick losses due to gizzard erosions. J. G. Halpin and coworkers at the Wisconsin Station have reported on an antigizzard lesions factor found in oats and wheat. T. H. Jukes at the California Experiment Station has reported that some factor in desiccated ox gall has been beneficial in correcting gizzard erosion in chicks. Work at this station has indicated that the feeding of desiccated ox gall to the breeders at the rate of 1 percent of the total ration has had some beneficial effect on the gizzard condition of chicks subsequently hatched. This study was undertaken to secure information as to how widely spread gizzard erosion might be in day-old chicks, from as many states as possible. Studies of gross lesions, as well as tissue sections, indicates that the damage to the gizzard lining was of a similar nature in all lots of chicks. SUMMARY
1. Hatchability of all eggs set averaged S3.6 percent. 2. Out of a total of 715 gizzards examined, only 28 were normal when examined with the naked eye. This represents 3.9 percent normal gizzards of all chicks examined. 3. There is probably no relationship between sex and incidence of gizzard erosion. However, there seems to be a slight tendency for the males to have somewhat more severe ulcerations than the females. 4. It would appear that the incidence of gizzard erosion is widespread and represents the usual condition under a wide variation of environment of the breeders.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at H.E.C. Bibliotheque Myriam & J. Robert Ouimet on June 16, 2015
No.
449