Lipid and triglyceride contents in liver and plasma, and plasma transaminase activities were determined in growing White Leghorn male chicks orally administered with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Fourteen day administration of CCl4 at rates of 2.5, 5 and 10ml/kg body weight and the single administration at rate of 15 to 30ml/kg body weight increased, with increasing CCl4 doses, liver weight, total lipid and triglyceride contents in the liver, plasma triglyceride concentration and plasma GOT activity but reduced body weight gain and plasma total lipid concentration. Seven out of eight chicks died by 14 day administration of 10 ml CCl4. The maximum increase of the hepatic lipid deposition was demonstrated at 2 or 3 days after whereas that of plasma GOT activity was observed at 1 day after the single administration. It is suggested that a large dose of CCl4 in chicks induces degeneration of hepatic cells, subsequently leading to the hepatic lipid deposition.

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The nutritive value of leaf protein concentrates (LPCs) made from different crops was examined in chicks in connection with methionine supplementation. Two feeding experi-ments were made in which LPCs were used as a sole source of dietary protein to provide 18% crude protein. In the first experiment, the supplementation of 0.2% L-methionine improved the nutritive value of both LPCs made from broad bean and ladino clover though there was no difference in the nutritive value between both the LPCs. In the second ex-periment, the nutritive value of five LPCs was compared with that of soybean meal or isolated soybean protein. Without the supplementary methionine, the nutritive value of LPCs made from Italian ryegrass and oats-annual blue grass mixture (3:7 in a dry matter basis) was higher than that of the leguminous LPCs made from broad bean, ladino clover and red clover. This difference was related to the sulfur-containing amino acids content in the LPC. Thus, the supplementation of 0.2% L-methionine was more effective in improving the nutritive value of the leguminous LPCs low in the sulfur-containing amino acids and consequently diminished the nutritive difference among LPCs except the broad bean LPC. However, the nutritive value of LPCs with supplemental methionine was still inferior to that of soybean meal or isolated soybean protein. The nutritive value of the alfalfa LPC was examined in the second experiment, but feeding the alfalfa LPC diet caused the death of all the chicks, regardless of the methionine supplementation.

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[4-14C]-Labelled pregnenolone, progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, androstene-dione and testosterone were incubated with 630-day-old White Leghorn cock testicular homogenate in the presence of 0, 10-6, 10-5 and 10-4 M melatonin. Activities of Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, Δ5-4 isomerase and 17α-hydroxy-C17-20 lyase were strongly inhibited by the addition of 10-6-10-4 M melatonin in the medium. Melatonin inhibits the biosynthesis of testosterone in the testis of the chicken. The activities of 17α-hydroxylase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase were not inhibited by melatonin in the present study. The activity of almost all the enzymes concerning testosterone synthesis in the chicken testis was significantly higher in the light (11:00) period than the dark (23:00) period. The lower activities of the enzymes in dark time may be due to a higher secretion of melatonin which is supressive to testerone synthesis.

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Pathological examination was made on 59 chickens aged 212 weeks which were fed a feed containing the protein from the methanol-utilizing bacteria as described in the previousreport [Japan. Poult. Sci., 19, 322-343 (1982)]. In addition, there were birds of the same age fed a control diet. Macroscopically, the following changes were observed; fatty liver (46%), atrophy of the ovary and oviduct (34%), cystic dilation of Mueller's canal (34%), and ruptured-yolk peritonitis (25%). Microscopically, the following lesions were frequent in 30 chickens examined; ruptured-yolk peritonitis (93%), fatty liver (93%), leiomyoma of the oviduct ligament (23%) and perivascular cell infiltration in the brain (13%). Both macro-scopical and microscopical lesions occurred in the control birds with almost the same degree of incidence. The observations made are common in routine pathological examinations and no unusual features were noted. From the results, it was concluded that the microbial protein was harmless to the chicken.

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Body weight (0-8 weeks), mortality (0-8 weeks), age at first egg, egg weight (6 and 10 weeks), rate of laying (6-23 weeks), fertility and hatchability were compared among six types of plumage colors, and normal and white shell color in Japanese quail (Coturnix cotu-rnix japonica). At the hatching time there were no significant differences in the body wei-ght between different plumage types, but from 1 to 8 weeks of age, white male birds were significantly smaller in body size than the others. The same trend was held for the female from 5 to 8 weeks of age. Analysis of variance revealed no significant difference for any of the quantitative reproductive traits measured among different plumage colors and different egg shell colors.

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During the observation period over about two years, eleven instances of the natural incubations by six female domestic ducks were observed. In two instances among them the hatchings and rearings were performed successfully.
In the first case, five ducklings were hatched from among twelve eggs on the 31st day after the joint incubation by two female ducks (Khaki Campbell race) started. Then two females successively engaged together in the rearing. In the second case, a hybrid female duck hatched out a duckling from among eleven eggs on the 30th day of the incubation. She received a one day-old duckling hatched by a bantam as a foster on the second day of the rearing. She reared thereafter this duckling similarly to her real duckling, though the former differed from the latter in body color.
The call exchanges between mother and ducklings were frequently observed from the first day. Ducklings called back mother through their high-pitched distress calls and stayed near the nest within 24 hours after the hatching.
It was observed that the mother remarkably displayed rhythmical motion of wings and tail and the loud quack several days after the hatching.
Up to about tenth day of the rearing, the mother led her brood unfolding her tail feathers and calling low. She threatened and attacked the other ducks whenever they came close to her brood.
Mother-duckling relationship dissolved nearly about 40th day after the hatching. But the defense reaction by the mother for captive duckling was maintained until about 60th day of the hatching.
It was thought that the auditory stimulation played a major role in achieving the communication between mother and duckling. When the duckling was caught by a assailant, however, its visual scene might be significant stimulation for the mother's reaction.

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Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of washing for removal of organic matter contaminating on a plywood by jet stream. The removal of organic matter was estimated using Cr2O3 as an index. The relationship between removal of organic matter and reduction of bacterial count by washing was described.
A plywood test piece (2×5cm) was contaminated with chicken caecal content mixed with Cr2O3. The piece was washed by jet stream from a sprayer. After washing, Cr2O3 was recovered from the piece and caecal content remained on the piece was calculated on weight of Cr2O3 recovered. When the piece recieved jet stream against for 10 seconds at an angle of 90°at 0.5m range, 32% of Cr2O3 still remained on the piece.
A close relationship was observed between removal of organic matter and reduction of bacterial count by washing. Regression line and the coefficient of correlation (r) were as follow:
logY=0.035X+3.991, r=0.904
Y: bacterial count after washing
X: recovery of organic matter after washing (%)
It was considered that a satisfactory effect of washing could not obtain when washing was conducted using jet stream only. Brushing with jet stream was preferable to remove organic matter and to reduce bacterial count.

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[in Japanese]

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Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of pelleting on the phosphorus composition of diets and the availability of phosphorus for chicks.
In Experiment 1, a corn-soybean meal diet containing 5.2% soybean oil was fed to broiler chicks as mash, non-steamed pellet or steamed pellet. In Experiment 2, corn-soybean meal diets containing 0 or 5.0% soybean oil were fed to White Leghorn chicks as either mash or steamed pellet. In steam pelleting, mash diets were conditioned to 85°C with steam at a pressure of 5.0kg/cm2 in Experiment 1 and to 90°C with steam at a pressure of 3.0kg/cm2 in Experiment 2 before they entered the pellet chamber. In non-steam pelleting, the mash diet was conditioned to 20% moisture content with water befor it entered the pellet chamber.
Pelleting under the various conditions affected neither phytate phosphorus content nor inorganic phosphorus content of diets. Tibia ash content and feed efficiency were improved by neither steam pelleting nor non-steam pelleting.
These results suggested that neither steam pelleting nor non-steam pelleting under general conditions improved the availability of phosphorus for chicks.

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