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ABSTRACTS
Research in nutrition: Its contribution to live-
stock production. GEORGE H. HART (1941).
Amer J. vet. Res. 2, 131-35
IN view of the importance to the veterinary profession
of new discoveries and constantly developing knowledge
in nutrition, a brief review of development has been
traced from the close of the last century.
Nutritional requirements vary with different species of
farm animals. Contributions of recent researches reveal
some very interesting facts.
The various factors in the water soluble vitamin B-
complex, including thiamin, riboflavin, panthothenic acid,
nicotinic acid and pyridoxine, have been proved to be
synthesized by bacterial action in the rumen of cattle and
sheep. It is therefore not an essential factor in the
dietary constituents of these animals. This synthesis is
also a probability in horses' caecum, but it is as yet
unsupported by experimental data. Pigs require this
B-complex in diet, as no such syntheses take place in their
bodies. As the hatchability of eggs and viability of
chicks are dependent on B-complex in diet, this also
constitutes an essential factor in poultry breeding.
Subcutaneous administration of vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
has recently been shown to be of value in temporary
sterility in bulls. Vitamin A is essential in all farm
animals. The possibility of vitamin-Edeficieney is very
doubtful, as vitamin E is widely distributed in foodstuffs
or synthesized in the system of the domestic animals.
Animals living largely on roughages, as cattle and
sheep, require bonemeal as a source of phosphorus in their
diet. As bonemeal contains a high percentage of calcium,
no extra calcium is needed when bonemeal is given. Hogs
and poultry which get limited roughage require calcium
in the form of ground limestone or oyster shell flour
in their diet. Consideration in all cases has to be made
of the cheapest source available of minerals supplied to
livestock beyond what is contained in their regular feeds.
Milk fever has been shown to be due to the temporary
inability of the animal to transport calcium into the blood
from the body store at the same rate as it is taken out
in the milk of the heavy producers. Parathyroid as a
pivot of calcium metabolism may be involved. Further
research is however, necessary to sufficiently enlighten the
point. Iodine gains its importance due to its deficiency
appearing in widespread and localised areas. Iron
deficiency is demonstrated in anaemia in young nurs
pigs kept on wood or cement floors and is overcome
painting the udders of the nursing sow with iron prep
tions. In cattle combined deficiency of copper and
in which Hb content of BBC was greatly reduced, has h
reported from Florida.
Heredity and environment are both important fact
in the development of livestock. If the environment
level can be raised by improving the feed supply, then
limits of selective breeding can be proportionately ext
ded. Without phosphorus supplement, attempts
improve the native cattle was a complete failure in
tern parts of the Union of South Africa. Environment
animals is largely a matter of management, mainly con
ting of nutrition. Livestok production has definit
been benefited by nutritional rosearches, enabling
most economical use of the local cheap foods by success
fully supplementing their deficiencies. Prarie hay w
calcium carbonate and grain mixture, for example
was nearly equal to alfalfa hay and grain mixture
much less cost.
It is, at present, possible to obtain a cheap a
abundant supply of synthetic urea. It contains a h
percentage of nitrogen and can successfully replact
part of the protein requirements in the diet of rumin
ts. The nitrogen is converted by bacterial action
protein. This discovery promises a successful appli
tion wherever protein feeds are costly as in the Haw
ian islands. [A. K. P.]
The pH of vaginal mucus of normal and sten
dairy cows. S F. SMITH and S.A. ASDELL(1941
Amer. J. vet. Res. 2, 167
THE authors examined the reaction of saline washi
and of manually collecte I samples of the vaginal mu
of healthy cows. The pH values of the former we
generally 0.5 to 1.0 lower than the latter. In tests
manually obtained mucus of both normal and sterile co
the pH was. with one exception (a cow suffering f
pyometra), alkaline, although the pH dropped from abo
8.0 to 7.0 for a short period at, or just after, oestri
The mucus of the cervix was found to be more acid the
that of the vagina. In jectious of large doses of oesti
gens did not cause the vaginal secretions to become a
and, on the whole, affected the vaginal pH but slight