226
ABSTRACTS
[Vol. XX, Part III
of crystalline riboflavin. Once every week the calves were weighed and 24 hours
urinary samples in Hcl solution were collected for riboflavin assay.
During experimental period of 12 weeks it was noticed that all the calves except
R began to consume their feed less from 4th week and consequently lost in weight.
Intermittent diarrhoea, dry scaly dermatitis, alopecia, periodic excessive salivation
also appeared in them. Postmortem examinations showed catarrhal enteritis,
mild oedma of lungs, pebbled cornea and spotted kidney. The addition of 2 mg.
of crystalline riboflavin brought recovery in them. Calf R which was receiving
2.99 mg. riboflavn from the start, showed standard rate of growth.
Blood vitamin A and ascorbic acid was normal but the urinary excretion of
riboflavin was low in all the calves except R. From the data of analysis of urinary
excretion it was concluded that minimum daily riboflavin requirement is 75 per kilo
body weight. So riboflavin deficiency during milk feeding is not possible. (B.S.G.)
A Study of the Metabolic Activity of Bull Semen and Spermatozoa in Relation
to their Fertilizing Ability. GHOSH, D., CASIDA, L. S. and LARDY, H. A. (1949)
J. Anim. Sci. 8, 265-270
T HE respiration rate (ZO=cmm of 0 uptake/10 cells hours) of whole semen
and washed sperm in the presence as well as absence of added glucose (0.01 M.
final conc.) has been determined under controlled conditions with a view to correlate
it with the fertilizing ability of the bulls. Fifty three collections from 8 bulls—
4 Guernseys and 4 Holsteins,—between 5½ to 10½ yrs. and in regular service were
treated for studying ZO values, and 702 inseminations done from the original semen
samples during a course of about 5 months. Inseminations were made on the
day of collection and the day following (within 36 hours of collection) using egg
yolk phosphate suffer as diluent.
For ZO determination, semen and washed sperms were diluted in calcium-free
-Ringer. Phosphate solution at pH 6.9 making the final sperm concentration between
200-300 millions and manometric measurements taken in micro Warburg vessels.
ZO (first hour), average ZO (first and second hour), ratio of ZO (first hour)
to ZO (second hour), and ratio of average ZO to percentage of motile sperms have
been calculated and no significant correlation was found between them and percentage
of fertility excepting that the ratio of average ZO to percentage of motile sperms
showed a negative correlation ' between bulls '. (S.G.)
The Response of the Ovary of the Anoestrous Goat to Pregnant Mares' Serum
Gonadotrophin. Folley, S. J. Greenbaum (1949) J. Endocrinology 6, (2), 121-131
T HE effect of Pregnant Mare's Serum Gonadotrophin (PMS) on goat ovary during
anoestrous season and the possibility of using the hormone for breeding anoes-
trous goats have been investigated. Fiftysix anoestrous goats were given a single
injection of PMS in doses varying from 200 I.—1600 I.U. and were sacrificed 168
hours after. Ovaries and Corpora Lutea were subjected to histological studies for
determining response. Fallopian tubes were washed for recovery of ova. Mean
follicular response of the ovaries from eleven untreated goats was also determined.