Toxicity of Common and Hairy Vetch Seed for Poults and Chicks1

1968

H. ABPLANALP, A. E. WOODARD AND W. O. WILSON

REFERENCES Abplanalp, H., 1960. Response of Japanese quail to restricted lighting. Nature, 189: 942-943. Arrington, L. C , H. Abplanalp and W. O. Wilson, 1962. Experimental modification of the laying pattern in Japanese quail. British Poultry Sci. 3. In press. Aschoff, J., 1955. Tagesperiodik von Maeusestaemmen unter konstanten Umweltsbedingungen. Pflug. Arch. Ges. Physiol. 262: 51-59. Aschoff, J., and J. Meyer-Lohmann, 1954. Angeborene 24-Studen-Periodik beim Kucken. Pflug. Arch. Ges. Physiol. 260: 170-176.

Cloudsley-Thompson, J. L., 1961. Rhythmic Activity in Animal Physiology and Behavior. 236 pp. Academic Press, New York. Farner, D. S., 1961. The testicular response of white-crowned sparrows to stimulatory photoperiods in ahemeral cycles. Proc. 3rd Itn. Congr. on Photobiology. 438-441. B. Chr. Christensen and B. Buchmann Ed. Folk, G. E., Jr., 1959. Modification by light of 24-hour activity of white rats. Proc. Acad. Sci. 66: 399-406. Fraps, R. M., 1961. Ovulation in the domestic fowl. Control of Ovulation, pp. 133-162. C. A. Villee, Ed. Pergamon Press, N.Y. Warren, D. C , and H. M. Scott, 1935. The time factor in egg formation. Poultry Sci. 14: 195207. Wilson, W. O., H. Abplanalp and L. Arrington, 1962. Sexual development of Coturnix as affected by changes in photoperiods. Poultry Sci. 41: 17-22. Wilson, W. O., A. E. Woodard and H. Abplanalp, 1956. The effects and aftereffects of varied exposures to light on chicken development. Biol. Bull. I l l : 415-422. Wilson, W. O., and A. E. Woodard, 1958. Egg production of chickens kept in darkness. Poultry Sci. 37: 1054-1057.

Toxicity of Common and Hairy Vetch Seed for Poults and Chicks 1 J. A. HARPER AND G. H. ARSCOTT Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, Corvallis, Oregon (Received for publication May 28, 1962)

T N THE course of investigations at this •*• station concerned with aortic aneurism in turkeys a number of experiments have been conducted to determine the effect of common vetch seed, Vicia sativa, L. var. Willamette and hairy vetch seed, Vicia villosa, Var. glabrescens Koch, as a possible causative agent for this disease. The hairy vetch used in these experiments is generically called smooth vetch and a variety of 'Technical Paper No. 1554, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.

hairy vetch, Vicia villosa Roth (Henson and Schoth, 1959). These vetches are grown extensively in Oregon as seed crops and may contaminate other cereal grain crops unless destroyed by chemical sprays. They are also grown in many areas of this continent, Europe and Asia where the forage and seed are used for livestock and human food. The observations by Geiger et al. (1933) that feeding of sweet pea seed, Lathyrus odoratus, produced severe skeletal defects in rats, and by Ponseti and Baird (1952)

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on April 17, 2015

but providing in all cases a light period twice as long as the alternating darkness. Short cycles of 16 and 18 hours length respectively retarded sexual maturation in both males and females and tended to interfere with continuous laying patterns in some hens. This retardation of normal gonad function is thought to be the result of interference between the imposed shortday cycles and an internal cycle of about 24 hours on which the birds' reproductive physiology functions.

TOXICITY OF VETCH

1969

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on April 17, 2015

TABLE 1.—Composition of basal rations of vascular lesions, suggested the need for further investigation of vetches in view of Amount (%) their taxonomic relationship in the family Ingredients Poult Chick Leguminosae. Furthermore, earlier unpublished data from this station noted high Corn, yellow grd. 40.55 61.29 35.00 24.81 mortality with possible skeletal defects in Soybean oil meal, sol v., (44% prot.) feeding common vetch to chicks. A search Fish meal, (70% prot.) 7.65 5.00 5.00 — of the literature reveals scattered published Meat and bone meal, (50% prot.) data regarding the use of vetch seed in Whey, dried, (58% lactose) 5.00 2.50 2.50 2.00 rations for poultry. Anderson et al. (1924) Alfalfa meal, dehy., (20% prot.) reported common vetch (akta), Vicia Bone meal, spec, steamed 1.75 2.25 1.50 1.25 sativa, L. Var. Angustifolia, to be exceed- Limestone flour Salt, iodized 0.50 0.30 ingly toxic to ducks and monkeys. They DL-methionine, (98%) 0.05 — 0.50 1 0.50 2 relate the causative agent to a divicine, a Vitamin and mineral pre mix Sulfa quinoxiline, (25%) 0.05 0.05 hydrolytic product from the glucoside 1 Supplied per pound of mixture: vitamin A, vicine. Horvath (1945) reported on the 400,000 U.S.P.U.; vitamin D , 200,000 I.C.U.; vitatoxicity of vetch seed for chickens, how- min E, 400 I.U.; riboflavin, 3 300 mg.; pantothenic ever, he used the chickling vetch, Lathyrus acid, 300 mg.; niacin, 3 gm.; choline, 40.4 gm.; vitamin Bi , 0.6 mg.; B.H.T., 11.34 gm.; Mn, 5.4 sativus, and Vetchling, Lathyrus cicera, gm.; 1,109 2mg.; Fe, 1.8 gm.; Cu, 182 mg.; Procaine 3 gm. which are not of the genus Vicia. While no penicillin, 2 Supplied per pound of mixture: vitamin A, pathological differences were noted and 600,000 U.S.P.U.; vitamin D3, 200,000 I.C.U.; body weight increased, the major effect vitamin E, 200 I.U.; vitamin K, 100 mg.; riboflavin, 600 mg.; pantothenic acid, 1 gm.; niacin, 4 gm.; appeared to be on blood proteins where a choline, 40 gm.; vitamin Bi2, 1 mg.; B.H.T. 22.68 50 percent rise in globulin-albumin ratio gm.; Mn, 10.8 gm.; Fe, 3.6 gm.; Cu, 363 mg.; I, 218 mg.; Zn, 5 gm.; Zn bacitracin, 5 gm. was found to occur. Thayer and Heller (1945) observed growth depression to ocThe experiments reported here involved cur in chicks fed hairy vetch, Vicia villosa, poults and chicks fed common and hairy seed while Pal (1958) reported common vetch seed at different levels and included vetch (Akra), Vicia sativa, unsatisfactory the effect of soaking and heating the seed as the sole ration for chicks or for growing to destroy toxicity. While dramatic results birds. were obtained with respect to neurologic A historical review of lathyrism and symptoms and high mortality in feeding odoratism has been presented by Dastur and common vetch seed, no relation to aortic Iyer (1959) and a more complete review of aneurism was observed. the literature on lathyrism by Gardner EXPERIMENTAL (1959). An attempt at clarification of terminology has been made (Anonymous, Practical type corn-soybean oil meal base 1959) in pointing out "Actually the term poult starter and chick broiler rations were 'lathyrism' should refer to the neurologic used in all experiments. The composition of lesion, a degenerative process of the spinal the basal rations is given in Table 1. All cord which occurs in animals or men fed additions of vetch seed to rations were one of the related legumes (Lathyrus, made at the expense of corn on a weight Vicia, Pisum, Ervum), and 'odoratism' basis. Duplicate lots of 5 to 20 poults and should be used to describe the skeletal and 12 Vantress X Nichols 108 chicks of vascular lesions induced in animals by L. mixed sex were brooded in conventional odoratus." starter batteries with feed and water sup-

1970

J. A. HARPER AND G. H. ARSCOTT

TABLE 2.—Body weight, mortality and survival time of turkey poults incorporating hairy and common vetch seed in rations

TABLE 4.—Body weight, mortality and survival time of turkey poults fed heat treated and non-treated common vetch seed

Average 4 week data Vetch Level 0 10% 30% 10% 30% L.S.D.

Average 4 week data Common Vetch

Type

Body wt. gms.

Mortality

%

Survival days

— Hairy Hairy Common Common (P<.05)

400 372 330 349 346 20

2.5 0.0 5.0 2.5 70.0

27.8 28.0 27.2 27.9 18.5

Level

0 20% 40% 20%, autoclavedi 40% autoclaved 1 L.S.D. (P<.05)

RESULTS

Poults. Duplicate lots of 20 Beltsville Small White poults were fed a turkey starter ration from day old to four weeks of age in comparison to lots receiving 10 and 30 percent ground hairy and common vetch seed. The data summarized in Table 2 show a growth depression at the 10 percent level with hairy vetch seed and furTABLE 3.—Body weight, mortality and survival time of turkey poults fed untreated, water soaked and heat treated common vetch seed in rations Common Vetch Level 0 40.55% 40.55%

Treatment 1

— None Water soaked 1:5 24 hrs. Dried 24 hrs. @ 99.5°F. 0 Water consumed from drainings of soaked vetch in group 2 above 4 0 . 5 5 % Autoclaved 2 hrs. @ 15 p.s.i. 4 0 . 5 5 % Water soaked 1:1 Autoclaved 2 hrs. @ 15 p.s.i. Dried 24 hrs. @99.5°F. 1

Average 2 week d a t a

Body wt. gms. at 3 wks.

Mortality %

Survival days'

282 232

0.0 90.0

14.0 6.5 7.0

— 274

40.0

290

80.0

218

50.0

12.0

All groups were fed the turkey starter ration for the first week-. 2 Based on 2 week experimental period.

Body wt. gms.

Mortality

%

Survival days

532 514 439 518 512 37

0.0 10.0 65.0 0.0 0.0

28.0 27.3 19.8 28.0 28.0

8 hrs. @15 p.s.i.

ther depression at the 30 percent level. Mortality and survival time were not affected by the two levels of hairy vetch in the diet. Growth was depressed in poults receiving 10 percent common vetch seed to a greater degree than for the same level of hairy vetch seed. Due to the few birds surviving on the 30 percent common vetch seed diet body weight comparisons are of little value. Mortality was not increased in the 10 percent common vetch lots of poults over the control ration, whereas 70 percent of poults died and survival time decreased markedly for those receiving 30 percent. Data for the second experiment are presented in Table 3. Following a one week preliminary period on the regular turkey starter ration duplicate lots of five medium white poults were randomly distributed and fed the indicated diets for two weeks. TABLE 5.—Body weight, mortality and survival time of chicks fed varying amounts of common vetch Common vetch

Average 4 week data

Level

Body wt. gms.

0% 20% 30% 40%

458(ll)i 365 (4) 245 (7) -(2)

Mortality %

Survival days

.8 48.0 97.1 100.0

27.8 22.1 11.6 7.5

Figures in ( ) represent number of experiments.

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on April 17, 2015

1

plied ad libitum. The poult experimental plans and results are given in Tables 2, 3 and 4 while those for chicks are given in Tables S, 6, 7 and 8. The protein content (N X 6.25) of the common and hairy vetch used as determined by this laboratory was 26.2 and 25.0 percent, respectively.

Treatment

1971

TOXICITY OF VETCH

TABLE 6.—Body weight, mortality and survival time of chicks fed common versus hairy vetch

TABLE 7.—Body weight, mortality and survival time of chicks fed varying levels of common and autoclaved common vetch Average 4 week data Common Vetch Level

Treatment

0% None 20% None 20% Autoclaved1 40% None 40% Autoclaved L.S.D. (P<.05) 1

Body wt. gms. 417 318 396

—

355 30

%

Survival days

4.2 58.4 0.0 100.0 4.2

27.0 19.3 28.0 8.0 27.9

Mortality

8 hrs. @ 15 p.s.i.

seed. When seed was autoclaved for eight hours at 15 p.s.i. the growth was significantly improved for lots receiving the 40 percent level compared to untreated seed. Autoclaving the ground seed for eight hours at 15 p.s.i. reduced toxicity since 100 percent of the poults on both feeding levels survived as compared to 10 and 65 percent mortality for the 20 and 40 percent unheated vetch lots. Chicks. A summary of results taken from a number of four week experiments involving 0, 20, 30 and 40 percent of common vetch is given in Table 5. Body weights of surviving chicks decreased as the vetch content in the ration increased. Mortality increased markedly with increasing levels of vetch approaching 100 percent at the 30 percent level. Survival time progressively decreased from 28 to 7.5 days as the vetch concentration increased. TABLE 8.—Body weight, mortality and survival time of chicks fed common versus hairy vetch before and after autoclaving

Average 4 week data Average 4 week d a t a

Vetch Level

o%

30% 30% 40% L.S.D.

Type

-

Common Hairy Hairy (P<.05)

Body wt. gms. 497 262 344 332 30

Mortality % 0 95.8 0 0

Survival days 28.0 11.6 28.0 28.0

Vetch Level 0% 30% 30% 30% 30%

Type

,

Treatment

None None Common Autoclaved 1 Common None Hairy 1 Autoclaved Hairy L.S.D. ( P < . 0 S )

'8 hrs. @ 15 p.s.i.

Body wt. gms.

Mortality

438

0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 4.2

—

393 324 370 30

%

Survival days 28.0 9.2 28.0 28.0 27.5

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on April 17, 2015

Poults receiving a ration containing 40.55 percent ground common vetch seed, replacing all the corn, exhibited a mortality rate of 90 percent. The survival time averaged 6.5 days for the vetch group compared to 14 days or complete survival for the control ration. Soaking ground common vetch seed in five times its weight in water for 24 hours and then drying for 24 hours at 99.5°F. did not decrease toxicity or increase survival time. When poults were fed the control ration but provided water obtained from soaking ground common vetch seed in five times its weight in water, a mortality of 40 percent occurred, however survival time increased to 13.5 days. Heating ground common vetch seed for two hours at 15 p.s.i. in an autoclave and feeding at a level to replace all the corn decreased mortality only slightly but almost doubled survival time. When the ground common vetch seed was soaked in an equal weight of water for 24 hours, autoclaved for two hours and dried for 24 hours, poult growth was depressed slightly, mortality decreased and survival time increased compared to untreated seed. The results of the third experiment involving duplicate lots of 10 Broad Breasted Bronze poults each are shown in Table 4. Growth of poults from day old to four weeks of age was significantly depressed when fed 40 percent ground common vetch seed. No significant depression was noted for lots receiving 20 percent unheated

1972

J. A. HARPER AND G. H. ARSCOTT

DISCUSSION The inclusion of common vetch seed, Vicia sativa, L. Var. Willamette, in the diets of poults and chicks in the above experiments produced growth depression, mortality and decreased survival time in direct relation to the level fed. The toxic agent responsible is presumed to be divicine as reported by Anderson et al. (1924) who noted neurological symptoms in ducks and monkeys. Toxic levels with ducks ranged from 10 to 75 percent of the diet. Symptoms described by the above workers are similar to those displayed by poults and chicks in this investigation. Affected poults and chicks in these experiments exhibited

a high degree of excitability, muscular incoordination, respiratory difficulty and violent convulsions ending in death. Recently Ressler et al. (1961) isolated in crystalline form a neuroactive principle identified as 2-4-diaminobutyric acid from the seeds of Lathyrus latifolius (perennial sweet pea) and Lathyrus sylvestis Wagneri (flat pea). The structural relationship of this factor to (3-cyano-L-alanine, a new, synthetic neuroactive amino acid, as well as a possible relationship to formation of (3-aminopropionitrile is discussed. More recently Ressler (1962) isolated (3-cyanoL-alanine from seeds of Vicia angustifolia and Vicia sativa and identified it through comparison of its physical, chemical and biological properties with the synthetic material. In the research by Anderson et al. (1924) it was reported common vetch seed contained not more than 0.3 percent vicine, from which the base divicine and L-glucose are formed on hydrolysis. Experiments with poults relative to the destruction of toxicity in common vetch seed indicate autoclaving at 15 p.s.i. for two hours is insufficient to remove toxicity. An earlier report by Borchers and Ackerson (1950) noted toxicity of common vetch seed, as measured by growth, was not destroyed by autoclaving for 30 minutes at 15 p.s.i. No mention of mortality from feeding 23.2 percent common vetch was reported. Reduction of the toxic agent in the ground common vetch seed to overcome mortality in poult and chick experiments was brought about by autoclaving for eight hours at 15 p.s.i. In both species the body weights were improved when diets contained autoclaved vetch, but remained somewhat below growth of birds on the control rations. Soaking ground common vetch seed for 24 hours and drying before mixing in the feed was also found ineffective in destroying toxicity contrary to the statement of Mor-

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on April 17, 2015

The comparative effects from common versus hairy vetch are presented in Table 6. While growth was adversely affected with either type of vetch used, hairy vetch exhibited none of the toxic effects of common vetch as noted from mortality or survival time data even at the 40 percent level. The influence of autoclaving common vetch is shown in Table 7. Reduction of the toxic property was obtained following autoclaving vetch for 8 hours at IS p.s.i. since chicks fed either the 20 or 40 percent level compared favorably to the controls with respect to mortality and survival time. At the 20 percent level body weights also were significantly improved compared to untreated vetch. The comparative effects from autocaving 30 percent common and hairy vetch seed are given in Table 8. Confirming the previous results (Table 7) autoclaving common vetch eliminated the mortality and improved survival time. In agreement with previous results (Table 6) this level of hairy vetch also proved non-toxic as indicated by lack of mortality. Autoclaving both hairy and common vetch improved growth to about the same degree.

TOXICITY OF VETCH

SUMMARY The seed of common vetch, Vicia sativa,

L. Var. Willamette, was found toxic and caused high mortality when fed at levels of 30 to 40 percent in practical type rations to poults and 20 to 40 percent in chick rations. Autoclaving the ground vetch seed at 15 p.s.i. for eight hours reduced toxicity and significantly improved growth, while autoclaving for two hours was less effective. The body weight of both species fed autoclaved seed was lower than for birds on the control rations indicating either toxicity was not completely overcome by heating or a ration imbalance created in replacing corn with vetch seed. Soaking of the ground vetch seed in five times its weight in water for 24 hours was ineffective in detoxifying the seed. Water obtained from soaking the ground vetch proved toxic. The seed of hairy vetch, Vicia villosa, Var. glabrescens Koch, was found to be less toxic than common vetch seed when fed to poults and chicks. Growth rate was depressed, however, livability was unaffected. Autoclaving of ground hairy vetch seed at 15 p.s.i. for eight hours significantly improved growth compared to unheated seed when fed to chicks. REFERENCES Anderson, L. A. P., A. Howard and J. L. Simonsen, 1924. Studies on lathyrism. Indian J. Med. Res. 12: 613-643. Anonymous, 1959. Lathryism—an ancient disease, odoratism—an experimental model. Nutrition Rev. 17: 272-274. Borchers, R., and C. W. Ackerson, 1950. The nutritive value of legume seeds. X. Effect of autoclaving and the trypsin inhibitor test for 17 species. J. Nutrition, 4 1 : 339-345. Claughton, W. P., and H. D. Claughton, 1954. Vetch seed poisoning. The Auburn Vet. 10(2): 125-126. Dastur, D. K., and C. G. Iyer, 1959. Lathryism versus odoratism. Nutrition Rev. 17(2): 33-36. Gardner, A. F., 1959. Experimental lathyrism: review of the literature. Amer. J. Clin. Nutrition, 7 ( 2 ) : 213-223. Geiger, B. J., H. Steenbock and H. T. Parsons,

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on April 17, 2015

rison (1948). The water solubility of the toxic agent is evidenced by increased mortality of poults consuming water obtained from soaking ground common vetch seed. In these experiments there was no attempt made to make rations isocaloric where vetch replaced corn. The lower body weights of poults and chicks fed diets with heated common vetch seed may be a result of a lower caloric intake in view of the fact that vetches contain 25 percent or more protein-. When poults and chicks were fed ground hairy vetch seed, Vioia villosa, Var. glabrescens Koch, at levels of 10 to 40 percent replacing corn, body weight was depressed, however, not to the same extent as when similar amounts of common vetch was included. Levels of 30 and 40 percent hairy vetch seed in poult and chick diets, respectively, had no adverse effect on liability in contrast to the report of Claughton and Claughton (1954) with limited observations on cattle. The fact that growth depression of hairy vetch seed could be largely overcome by autoclaving for eight hours at 15 p.s.i. is also indicative of a toxic factor in that seed. If the toxic factor in hairy vetch seed is the same as in common vetch seed, the implication based on growth rate and mortality, suggests a much lower concentration in the hairy vetch. On the other hand it can be argued that more than one toxic factor may be involved. Whether common and hairy vetch seeds might be considered as protein sources during times of shortages requires further study relative to economy of production and other possible methods of overcoming toxicity. Experiments concerned with the latter phase are in progress at this station as well as further consideration of lathyristic properties.

1973

1974

J. A. HARPER AND G. H. ARSCOTT fed with Lathyrus odoratus seeds. Am. J. Path. 28: 1059-1077. Ressler, C , 1962. Isolation and identification from common vetch of the neurotoxin p-cyano-Lalanine, a possible factor in neurolathryism. J. Biol. Chem. 237: 733-735. Ressler, C , P. A. Redstone and R. H. Erenberg, 1961. Isolation and identification of a neuroactive factor from Lathyrus latifolius. Science, 134: 188-190. Thayer, R. H., and V. G. Heller, 1945. Vicia villosa (vetch) : Chemical composition and use in poultry rations. Proc. Oklahoma'Acad. Sci. pp. 40-43.

NUNC DIMITTUS

Harrj> Habergne Dempster Harry L. Kempster, Professor Emeritus, Department of Poultry Husbandry, University of Missouri, died of a heart attack, September 11, 1962. He was born October 6, 1883, near Coldwater, Michigan, and received a B.S.A. degree from Michigan Agricultural College, now Michigan State University, in 1909, and a M.S. degree at the University of Wisconsin in 1928. In 1909 he was appointed Instructor in Charge of Poultry Husbandry at Michigan Agricultural College. He established the Poultry Department at the University of Missouri in 1911 and served as Chairman until 1954, when he retired. During his 43 years as Chairman of the Department over 6,000 students enrolled in his courses. In 1920 he organized the first poultry judging team, which placed first in the competition in Chicago. During the 52 years in which he served the poultry industry in Missouri, he encouraged development of State Poultry Organizations, contributed columns to the Missouri Farmer from 1917 to 1937, prepared innumerable articles for the press, wrote many research bulletins and popular circulars on various phases of poultry production, developed the Missouri-type laying house and the 10 X 12 brooder house, organized the first Mis-

souri Egg Show in 1917, planned and developed the Poultry Experimental Farm, did the first poultry extension work in Missouri, conducted the first Missouri Hatchery Short Course in 1927, helped secure an appropriation from the Missouri Legislature which made possible an exhibit in the World's Poultry Congress held at Cleveland in 1939, and helped organize and served as Chairman of the first Animal Feeding Short Course of the University. Professor Kempster was honored by his former students at a dinner at the World's Poultry Congress in 1939. His former students also gave him a testimonial dinner in St. Louis in 1946. He was also honored in 1949 by his students and former students when they presented the University of Missouri with his portrait. His colleagues and former staff also honored him with a dinner in 1954 on his retirement. He was Secretary of the Poultry Science Association 1925-1926, and President 1940-1941. In 1938 he was made a Fellow of the Association and in 1951 he received the Resident Teaching Prize of the Association. In 1956 he was elected to the Poultry Hall of Fame. In addition to the Poultry Science Association, he was a member of the World's Poultry Science Association, Alpha Zeta, Sigma Xi and Gamma Sigma Delta.

NEWS AND NOTES (Continued from page 1946) continually looked for new approaches to poultry He has also played an important part in the extension work, and was in the organization of a development of the overall extension program in statewide group of commercial egg producers. Wisconsin by his work on committees of the College of Agriculture and Extension Service. He In 1955 the United States Department of Ag(Continued on page 2011)

Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on April 17, 2015

1933. Lathryism in the rat. J. Nutrition 6: 427-442. Henson, P. R., and H. A. Schoth, 1959. Vetch culture and uses. U.S. Dept. Agric. Farmers' Bulletin No. 1740. p. 24. Horvath, A. A., 1945. Toxicity of vetch seed for chickens. Poultry Sci. 24: 291-295. Morrison, F. B., 1948. Feeds and Feeding. The Morrison Publishing Company, Ithaca, New York. Pal, A. K., 1958. Feeding value of Akra (Viscia sativa) for growing and adult poultry. Indian Vet. J. 35: 72-75. Ponseti, I. V., and W. A. Baird, 1952. Scoliosis and dissecting aneurysm of the aorta in rats