Growth of Embryos in fresh and stored Eggs. Entwicklung und Wachstum von Hühnerembryonen in frischen und in gelagerten Eiern. Dr. L. Kaufmann. Archiv für Geflügelkunde, 1938, p. 76.

Summary:

1. 1. The mortality of embryos grows with increasing length of time of egg storage before incubation, and is greatest during the first days of embryonic development.

2. 2. In stored eggs the 'water content of egg white decreases, whereas it is rising in egg yolk.

3. 3. After 1 or 2 weeks of incubation the embryos of fresh eggs are always considerably larger than those of eggs which were stored 24, 28 or 34 days.

4. 4. The percentage of water content is higher in embryos of stored eggs than in embryos developed in fresh eggs.

5. 5. The per cent. rate of growing during the second and third week of embryonic development is always higher in embryos of stored eggs than in those of fresh eggs.

6. 6. The hatch of stored eggs takes place about 1 day later than that of fresh eggs.

7. 7. In eggs stored before incubation the embryonic growing begins nearly 24 hours later than that in fresh eggs.

Shark liver Oil new source of Vitamin A for Poultry. L. L. Rusoff and N. R. Mehrhof. Gainesville, Florida Poultry Tribune, September, 1938.

Several lots of chicks were used in the experiments. One lot was fed a basal ration deficient in vitamin A. Other lots were given rations rations containing varying amounts of shark liver oil. Another lot was given a ration containing a good grade of commercial cod liver oil concentrates having at least 3,000 units of vitamin A per gramme.

Poultry Farming in the Four-Year-Plan. Geflügelhaltung im Vierjahresplan. Schneider. Deutsche Landwirtschaftliche Geflügelzeitung, Vol. 40, 1937, p.385.

The number of eggs imported last year was 1,2 milliards. The supply for home consumption can only be obtained by increasing the production of hens on the farms and not by increasing the number of hens. In the first place a better ratio of young hens to old will have to be obtained. The present ratio 1:2 is to be reduced to 1:1.

Pullorum Disease. Ancora sulla diarrea bianca bacillare. V. Basso. Rivista di Avicultura, Agosto, 1938, p. 253.

Basso agrees with Sparapani and Beller that Bacillus pullorum is a parasite organism, which can only be found in weakened chickens. Writer obtained good results by adding lemon juice to their drinking water.

A avitaminosis and coryza in domestic Fowls. Differinzierung einer A-Avitaminose vom ansteckenden Schnupfen des Hausgeflügels. St. Angeloff and L. Grebenaroff, Sofia. Annual Report veterinary Faculty University Sofia, 1935, p. 333.

The writers investigated cases of infectious catarrh in fowls (infectious Laryngotracheitis). They discovered it to be an A avitaminosis caused by lack of green fodder. It causes retardation of growth, loss of appetite, changes in the eyes, catarrh of the upper air-channels, where yellow cheese-like centres form, about the size of a poppy seed. It also causes nervous disorders and an increase of uric-acid in the blood and is further characterised by the hornifying of the epitels of the pituitary membranes and glands. Plenty of green fodder or dosing with liver-oil are recommended.

German Egg Laying Trials. Anon. Harper Adams Utility Poultry Journal, Vol. 21, 1936, p. 472.

The German Egg-Laying Trials are divided into two types as inEngland: (1) tests in which the individual birds are selected by the competitors themselves for entry, and (2) flock tests, the birds being selected by an officialof the agricultural association. These trials are held separately in five centres for each. A total of 1,974 birds were entered, 76·5 per cent. of the entriesbeing White Leghorns. Details of rations and production are given. Diseases of the reproductive and urinary systems accounted for 31 per cent. of the deaths. Virus diseases, including leucomyelosis (presumably lymphomatosis and Ieucaemias) accounted for 21 per cent. and digestive troubles for 16·4 per cent.

New opinions regarding Paullorum Disease. Nouveaux points de vue sur la pathogenie, le traitement et La prophylaxie de la septicémie des volailes dae à la Salmonella pullorum. Dr. J. Ch. Sparaparri. La Revue Avicole, 1937, p.453.

The pullorum bacil in itself does not cause the disease. It is only when the chickens are in a weakened state that the disease appears and then the bacilli are able to increase considerably. The writer considers lack of certain vitamins (A., B, C) to be the cause of weakness. This lack of. vitamins need not be present to such an extent as to cause avitaminosis, but only to such a degree as will cause a decrease of the powers of resistance in the body to the increase of the pullorum bacilli. The writer cured several chickens suffering from pullorum by a method of his own. In experiments carried out according to Harde's method a smaller quantity of vitamin C was found in the livers of sick chickens than in those of healthy ones. The quantity of vitamin A. was also smaller. Cure was affected by subcutaneous injections of Vit. A, B, and C.