An invasive procedure for in utero fetal electrocardiology: recording of fetal electrocardiograms by applying electrodes through the uterus.

An in utero technique was developed that allows direct access to the canine fetus for experimentation. This procedure reduces the need for fetal manipulation and umbilical blood flow compromise and reduces fetal fluid loss. In pregnant bitches, uterine horns could be delivered through a ventral midline incision. By manipulating the fetal membranes, and positioning the fetuses through them, electrodes could be inserted subcutaneously in the fetuses. Electrocardiograms satisfactory for interpretation were obtained from as many as 4 fetuses in a bitch for periods up to postoperative week 3.     

The use of air‐coolers in broiler houses under subtropical conditions in Iraq

1. Under summer conditions in north Iraq, 2 000 chicks were reared for 56 d in two broiler houses. One house was provided with two air‐coolers. The birds were housed at densities of eight to 16 birds/m².

2. Differences in weight gain between birds in cooled and uncooled houses ranged from 101.5 g at eight birds/m² to 385 g at 16 birds/m². Food consumption increased gradually with increasing bird density. Food conversion efficiency, meat yield and carcass conformation were much better in the cooled house than under conventional conditions.

3. The financial return/m² ranged from 2.30 to 4.51 ID¹ in the cooled house, compared with 2.01 to 2.77 ID in the uncooled house at different floor densities.     

Studies on the avian shell gland during egg formation: The effect of acetazol‐amide on the transfer of ions to the albumen 1

1. Twenty‐five laying hens were fed on a diet containing 100 mg acetazolamide/kg in order to determine the effects of a decrease in the activity of carbonic anhydrase on the transfer of minerals to the egg albumen.

2. Treatment with acetazolamide decreased the rate of shell formation by 44%; reduced the concentrations of water and Na+ in the albumen at the beginning of the plumping stage but increased the accumulation of water during plumping; increased the concentration of Cl‐ in the albumen after the 6‐h stage without any appreciable change in K+ and Ca²⁺ concentrations.

3. The computed relationships between the concentrations of different ions also showed that the transfer of water and Na+ were linked during egg formation, that a water‐independent, acetazolamide‐sensitive reabsorption of Na+ occurred after the 10‐h stage and that Na+ and Cl‐moved simultaneously up to 14 h but with the ratio of Cl‐ to Na+ three times higher in the treated group.

4. It is concluded that acetazolamide impairs the transfer of Na+ and Cl‐ between the albumen and the extracellular fluid and that secretion of Ca²⁺ into the uterine lumen seems to depend on Na+ and Cl‐ reabsorption.     

Requirement of the hen for sulphur‐containing amino acids

1. The sulphur amino acid requirements of White Leghorn‐type laying hens were determined in two 52‐week experiments using diets based on maize and soyabean meal providing from 5.0 to 6.5 g sulphur amino acids/kg, 12.35 MJ ME/kg and 8.6 to 8.8 g lysine/kg. There were six replicates of 15 individually‐caged hens each per treatment.

2. A requirement of approximately 775 to 800 mg sulphur amino acids /hen d, of which about 390 to 440 mg was methionine, was found for a maximum of 80 to 83 eggs/100 hen d. There were indications that the requirement for maximum egg production was less than that for maximum efficiency of food utilisation.

3. Diets containing 138 g protein/kg supplemented with methionine and lysine supported production and food utilisation as effectively as a diet containing 167 g protein/kg.     

Sire × hatch interaction effects and pen effects in progeny testing broiler males for growth rate

1. Pen effects and sire x hatch interaction effects on growth rate to 8 weeks of age were estimated from family and progeny test data obtained from the application of two commercial breeding programmes for growth rate to broilers.

2. The following variance components were obtained: σ²(pen) = 255 g², σ²(sire) = 1 260 g², σ²(sire × hatch) = 1 997 g²,σ²(residual) = 19 708 g².

3. It is concluded that the effectiveness of progeny testing for growth rate in broilers is severely restricted by sire x hatch interaction effects.     

Comparisons of frequencies and egg shell characteristics of broken and intact eggs within diverse populations of chickens

1. Differences were found among eight populations of White Plymouth Rock pullets in the frequency of broken eggs.

2. The shells of such eggs were thinner than those of intact eggs in seven of the populations.

3. The number of defective eggs, the specific gravity of the eggs, and the percentage hen‐day egg production of normal eggs were significantly correlated within populations with the incidence of broken eggs.

4. No significant correlations were found within populations between the incidence of egg breakage and either egg weight, body weight, or shank length.