24 ■'. N. H. Agri. Experiment Station [Bulletin 284 



Vifamin A Requirements for Growing Chicks 



With a ration deficient in Vitamin A, very little difference in weight 

 gains was shown between levels of 1%, 2% and 3% cod liver oil. It was 

 found in a feed consumption and weight record analysis that the level of 1% 

 is most efficient and economical for growing chicks. 



These experiments were carried out with nine groups of 50 New Hamp- 

 shire Red Chicks each, or 450 chicks. The test groups were fed varying 

 quantities of cod liver oil added to a basal ration deficient in Vitamin A. In 

 addition to the cod liver oil groups, one group was fed ^% sardine oil plus 

 the basal ration. 



All groups receiving varying quantities of cod liver oil or sardine oil in 

 Ijasal ration were subjected to daily irradiation from an ultra-violet ray lamp 

 to furnish a supply of Vitamin D above their normal requirements. The 

 group receiving basal ration plus ^% sardine oil showed slightly less weight 

 gain than did the cod liver oil fed groups. At no time during the course of 

 the experiment were there any symptoms of a Vitamin A deficiency. (x4. E. 

 Tepper and F. D. Rccd — PurncU Fund.) 



Sardine Oil vs. Cod Liver Oil 



Sardine oil used at ^% level in tests to determine its relative merits in 

 competition with cod liver oil in the New England College Conference Ra- 

 tion proved equally efficient to 1% cod liver oil under the conditions of the 

 experiment. Since the market price of sardine oil has been 25^c less than 

 cod liver oil, a worthwhile saving should be possible through its use. 



Three groups of New Hampshire Red Chicks, two of the groups com- 

 prising 50 chicks and one group 100, were fed the New England College 

 Conference ration plus the substitution of 54% sardine oil in Group 1, ^% 

 sardine oil in Group 2, and the regularly recommended 1 % cod liver oil in 

 Group 3. 



The groups were carefully segregated and weighed before the experi- 

 ment started. The 3^% sardine fed group and the 1% cod liver oil fed group 

 weighed about the same as the experiment progressed. The }4% sardine oil 

 fed group was approximately .2 of a pound lower. 



There was a difiference in feed consumption in favor of both the sardine 

 fed groups. (A. E. Tcppcr — P^inicll Fund.) 



Control of Coccidiosis 



Experiments with birds immunized from coccidiosis l)y an injection of 

 E. Tenella, the acute type, indicated that this vaccine does not immunize the 

 birds from E. Necatrix. one of the so called chronic types of coccidia. 



It was found further that keeping the litter dry is at least as effective as 

 commercial mixtures for treating litter. (C. L. Martin, C. A. Bottorff. and 

 T. B. Charles — FnrncU Fund.) 



Poultry Autopsies 



During the past fiscal year there were performed at the Poultry Path- 

 ology Laboratory 2,816 poultry autopsies; 1,533 of these were adult chick- 

 ens, 1,168 were chicks, and 115 were miscellaneous specimens, consisting of 

 turkeys, pheasants, bantams, quails, pigeons and partridges. 



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