340
ABSTRACTS
to nicotine decreases its toxicity. Further, it induces the closure of the oesophageal
groove, so that the mixture passes directly into the abomasum.
As a result of several trials the following mixture was found to be very effective :
40 per cent nicotine sulphate 1 oz., copper sulphate 1 oz., and water 3 pints. The dose
for lambs one to three months old was 3/4 oz., for lambs three to six months 1 oz.,
for those six to twelve months 1 1/2 oz. and for sheep over one year 2 oz. For
cattle under two years of age, 1 oz. of the nicotine per 50 lb. of live body weight
with a maximum dose of 3 oz. was effective.
This mixture was found to have potent anthelmentic action against Moniezia, Tri-
chostrongylus, Haemonchus, Cooperia, Ostertagia and Oesophagostomum infections. In the
case of cattle the administration of the mixture should be followed by a dose of castor oil.
[G. D. B.]
Methods of improving interior egg quality. L. A. WILHELM (1940). Poul
Sci. 19, 3-8
T HE object of the investigation was to study the effects of temperature on fresh eggs
packed in different ways. S. C. White Leghorn pullets were classified as to their
albumen index, by finding out the mean albumen index of a number of consecutive eggs
from each bird. The albumen index loss due to treatment, determined by measuring
the albumen indices at the beginning and end of the treatment, calculated on a percent-
age basis, was employed for estimating the loss of internal egg quality. Five different
methods of storing eggs were used for comparison.
Eggs of known albumen index used for each treatment were stored in standard 2 by 6
egg cartons and served as controls. The other four treatments, all of which were stored
in air-tight containers, were : sealed in air-tight container under atmospheric conditions ;
sealed in air-tight container, after the air had been displaced by carbon-di-oxide ; sealed
in air-tight container, under vacuum ; and sealed in air-tight container after the vacuum
had been released with carbon dioxide. The containers were stored at temperatures of
30, 50, 70 and 90° F. for periods ranging from one to fifty-six days.
The results of this investigation indicate :—
1. None of the treatments were superior to that of eggs packed in cartons for
short time holdings at the usual storage temperature (30°F.).
2. When eggs were held at temperatures above the normal storage temperatures,
the packing of fresh eggs in air-tight containers effectively reduced quality
losses from those packed in the usual manner.
3. The use of carbon dioxide for fresh eggs, while resulting in a turbid albumen,
is effective in preventing the loss of interior quality of those eggs even at
high temperatures.
4. Vacuum packing of fresh eggs is superior to the usual method but has little
advantage over sealing eggs in an air-tight container, and usually resulted
in adhering of the thick albumen to the shell membranes.
5. Eggs stored in vacuum carbon dioxide release were not consistently superior
to those stored in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide.
6. Eggs packed in air-tight containers develop moulds quite rapidly when held
at high temperatures unless carbon dioxide is added. [T. S. K.]
Artificial insemination in New York State Dairy herds. G. E. BURCH (1939).
Cornell Veterinarian 29, 395-406
T HE animals artificially bred in these experiments were all dairy cows, 95 per cent
of which were pure-bred or grade Holsteins, the rest being mostly grades of other
dairy breeds. Four hundred and thrity-nine dairy cows were artificially bred with semen
from seven different bulls. Three hundred and thirty-six pregnancies resulted.
Out
of this number, seven only ended in abortion and it is believed that artificial breeding
would not result in a larger than normal percentage of abortion than what occur from
natural service. More pregnancies resulted from initial insemination than from subse-
quent ones. The average bull cannot stand service oftener than once every three days