Effect of progesterone on ovulation in the hypophysectomised hen

1. One hundred and seven laying hens were hypophysec‐tomised to clarify the relationship between hypophysectomy and the effect of progesterone (P4) on ovulation.

2. Hens were hypophysectomised at 6 intervals from 4.5 to 11.0 h before the expected time of ovulation. Ovulation occurred in the hens operated on from 4.5 to 7.3 h, but did not take place in birds operated on from 9.2 to 9.8 h before the expected time of ovulation.

3. When a single dose of P4 (2 mg/hen) was injected iv immediately after the removal of the anterior pituitary from 7.5 to 9.8 h before the expected time of ovulation, ovulation was induced. However, the percentage of hens responding decreased in proportion to the lapse of time between the hypophysectomy and the expected time of ovulation. No ovulation was induced in hens which were hypophysectomized and given P4 10.2 to 11.0 h before the expected time of ovulation.

4. It is suggested that ovulation is induced by P4 alone possibly in the absence of preovulatory gonadotrophins and that P4 acts directly on the ovary to induce follicle rupture.     

Effects of cultivar,pelleting and enzyme addition on nutritive value of barley in poultry diets

1. The effect of pelleting process and Trichoderma viride enzymes (TVE) addition on apparent metabolisable energy, corrected for nitrogen balance (AMEn) and on productive value of practical diets containing 40 and 45% of three different barley cultivars and one wheat were studied in poultry.

2. The effect of the pelleting process on AMEn was inconsistent and was dependent on the cereal included and the addition of enzyme.

3. The growth trial showed a significant effect of enzyme addition to pelleted diets over the whole growth period (0 to 42 d). Addition of TVE improved weight gain and food efficiency by 1.3% and 2.9%, respectively and decreased food intake by 1.6% between 0 and 22 d. In the finisher period (23 to 42 d) TVE improved efficiency by 2.8% and reduced food intake by 2.9%.

4. The incidence of sticky droppings was related to the viscosity of barley used, and enzyme supplementation reduced it. Both pelleting and enzyme addition increased dry matter content of excreta.

5. At the end of the experiment, 14 animals per treatment were slaughtered and carcass yield, viscera weight and abdominal fat were determined.     

Variation in plasma cholesterol concentration over time in the domestic fowl

1. Variations in the concentration of plasma cholesterol available to the developing oocyte over a three week period in Gallus domesticus are described.

2. There are small changes in concentration between weeks for individual birds, but no changes between consecutive days within weeks or times within days.

3. It is recommended that future attempts to assess the relationship between variation in blood and yolk cholesterol concentrations estimate blood cholesterol concentration from two samples taken a week apart.     

Comparative responses of genetically lean and fat chickens to lysine,arginine and non‐essential amino acid supply. I. growth and body composition

1. Three experiments were performed to study the effects of amino acid imbalance on the growth of genetically lean (LL) or fat (FL) male chickens from 28 to 42 d of age. In experiment 1, five concentrations of digestible lysine were compared (4.75, 6.75, 7.75, 8.75 and 9.75 g/kg). In experiment 2, four concentrations of digestible arginine were compared (6.53, 7.69, 8.84 and 10.0 g/kg). In experiment 3, three diets were compared: a high‐protein diet (189 g CP/kg), a low‐protein diet containing added essential amino acids (EAA) (144 g CP/kg) and this low‐protein diet supplemented with 40 g/kg of non‐essential amino acids (NEAA) (glutamic acid + aspartic acid).

2. LL birds exhibited a lower growth rate than the FL when the diet was deficient in either lysine or arginine. Plotting weight gain against lysine or arginine intake suggested that most of this effect was caused by variations in food intake.

3. When protein gains (body or total proteins) were plotted against lysine or arginine intake, LL chickens appeared more efficient than FL chickens.

4. Similar growth rates, although slightly lower in FL, were obtained with low‐ and high‐protein diets. However, NEAA supplementation of the low‐protein diet reduced adiposity of LL and did not modify that of FL. Increasing crude protein content (all amino acids) was more effective than NEAA supplementation in decreasing the adiposity of both lines.     

Boric acid-phenolic relationships within the Pinus echinata-Pisolithus tinctorius ectomycorrhizal association

At germination, container-grown shortleaf pine seedlings were inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch or left uninoculated, and both groups were fertilized semiweekly with a modified Hoagland's solution supplemented with 0 or 0.4 mM boric acid. After 12, 16 and 24 weeks, seedling root tissue was analyzed for ectomycorrhizal colonization, phenolic concentration and phenoloxidase activity. In addition, phenoloxidase activity was assayed in P. tinctorius that had been cultured in a liquid medium containing boric acid. Inoculation with P. tinctorius increased the root phenolic concentration of 16- and 24-week-old seedlings, and increased root phenoloxidase activity in 12-, 16- and 24-week-old seedlings. Fertilization with boric acid reduced the phenolic concentration of P. tinctorius ectomycorrhizae after 24 weeks. Although boric acid fertilization did not affect the phenoloxidase activity of 12-, 16- and 24-week-old inoculated roots, or that of 16- and 24-week-old uninoculated roots, it increased the phenoloxidase activity of P. tinctorius grown in vitro and 12-week-old uninoculated roots. We conclude that boric acid fertilization influences the phenolic relations of the shortleaf pine-P. tinctorius ectomycorrhizal association, possibly through a boric acid-induced increase in phenoloxidase activity.