Agricultural Research in N. H. 43 



analysis of the data are not yet complete so that only preliminary observa- 

 tions and statements can be made. 



In the gizzard, the pH changes with age. In the early growth period the 

 range is pH 2-3, but as the birds become older the range is pH ,3-4, or a 

 range of pH 4-5 in a few instances. 



A comparison of the pH of the ceca of the same birds show that in 163 

 cases the pH of the two ceca differ in their entirety. In 79 cases one end 

 was more alkaline than the corresponding end of the other caecum and in 

 five birds the pH was the same for both ceca. 



R. C. RiNGROSE, T. B. Charles, S. R. Shimer, H. A. Davis 



(\ Study of the Cause and Prevention of 

 Gizzard Legions in Chickens 



One of the major problems in this study has been uniform production 

 of the gizzard lesion. Without uniform production of the lesion at a fairly 

 high rate of incidence it is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of control 

 measures applied. 



A semi-purified basal ration, which thus far has given results more uni- 

 form than the ration of natural feedstufls previously used, has been devel- 

 oped. The basal ration contains 45 per cent of glucose. Thus, it is possible 

 to substitute up to 45 per cent of the usual feedstuffs in the basal ration for 

 test purposes without changing other ingredients in the basal ration. During 

 the year, alfalfa leaf meal, ground oats, standard wheat middlings, wheat 

 bran, cornmeal, cracked wheat, and soybean oil meal have been studied for 

 their anti-gizzard lesion effect. 



The results to date indicate that standard wheat middlings, wheat bran, 

 and ground oats have some preventative effect under the test conditions. The 

 other feedstuffs have not shown protective action. 



R. C. RiNGROSE, H. A. Davis 



Choline in the Nutrition of Poultry 



Egg yolk is one of the richest natural sources of choline, containing 

 from 1.5 to 1.7 per cent of this compound. Poultry laying rations general- 

 ly contain from .1 to .2 per cent of choline. Thus, there appears to be a 

 choline deficiency for production purposes. 



Poultry nutrition research has established that choline can be formed 

 from other substances provided sufficient labile methyl groups are available. 

 The amino acid methionine can supply labile methyl groups. It is possible, 

 tlierefore, that one of the important functions of methionine may be to sup- 

 ply methyl groups for the formation of choline. In order to study some of 

 these relationships the choline requirements of laying hens are being inves- 

 tigated. 



A semi-purified ration has been developed for this study. It contains 

 only a trace of choline by the analytical method used and contains .312 per 

 cent of methionine and .067 per cent of cystine by calculation. The basal 

 ration was supplemented with choline, methionine, and crystine in various 

 combinations in experiments of relatively short duration. The control ra- 

 tion used was a commercially mixed laying mash. 



