Abstract
After the production of germfree Japanese quail using formaldehyde as a sterilizing agent was deviced, the growth, feed consumption, excreta weight and feed efficiency of the germfree birds were compared to those of the conventional birds and of the germfree birds contaminated with Bacillus species at eighteen days old.
(1) In spite of higher growth curve for two weeks after hatching, lower growth curve for the germfree birds than the conventional birds was obtained afterwards. After contamination suppressed growth was observed, and it was recovered after two weeks of contamination.
(2) Maximum weekly body weight gain was shown at the third week for the conventional birds and at the third and fourth weeks for the germfree birds.
(3) Higher feed consumption on the dry matter basis in the germfree birds than in the conventional birds for the whole experimental period and remarkable increase of feed consumption for one week after contamination were found.
(4) Similar weight of excreta on the dry matter basis between the conventional and germfree groups for six weeks and increased weight of excreta for one and two weeks after contamination were obtained.
(5) Decreased feed efficiencies of the conventional and germfree birds were accompanied with their weeks of age, except for three weeks of age in the conventional birds, and lower feed efficiencies in the germfree birds than in the conventional birds were always shown. Markedly decreased feed efficiency was observed for one week after contamination.
