July 23. 1917 Effect on Growth and Reproduction of Ration 



187 



That we were accomplishing our purpose of creating an acid ration was 

 apparent ; and further, it was clear that this class of anirhals could aid in 

 maintaining tissue neutrality by the production of ammonia (15). 



The records of reproduction are displayed in Table VI. 



Table VI. — Records of reproduction and milk secretion on a corn ration plus mineral acids 



The results are not entirely harmonious; but in three of the four cases 

 the reproduction was normal, the calves were strong, and they suckled 

 the mother shortly after birth and lived. All of the mothers remained 

 in excellent condition, and we are probably justified in concluding that 

 strong, vigorous mothers would not have reproduction disturbed by an 

 acidity of a ration comparable with that used in this* work, provided the 

 ration was otherwise complete. No. 648 did produce a weak calf. This 

 calf made no effort to suckle the mother, could not stand alone, but 

 nevertheless showed none of the head or neck deflections so character- 

 istic of calves produced by wheat-fed mothers. These cows showed no 

 inability to remove the afterbirth, a condition always likely to arise with 

 the premature births on wheat plus wheat-straw rations, unless salt 

 additions had been made. Under the latter circumstances the calf 

 generally would not be carried any nearer to the normal time than where 

 salts were omitted and would either be dead or weak, but the afterbirth 

 would come away normally. This observation is of importance to 

 veterinarians, and the relation of salts in the diet to processes involved 

 in parturition should receive more study. 



Illustrations of both calf and mother fed the corn and mineral-acid 

 mixture are shown in Plate 29, A-B. 



RELATION OF "VITAMINES" TO THE NUTRITION PROBIvEM 



The discovery that there are at least two essential factors of unknown 

 constitution, both necessary in a ration for growth and probably for 

 reproduction, raised the question as to their relation to these disturbances 

 on an all-wheat-plant ration. As previously stated, these two factors 

 have been designated as "fat-soluble A" and "water-soluble B." "We 

 are unquestionably safe in stating that there was a sufficient supply of 

 water-soluble B in our ration of whole wheat plus wheat straw. This 



