NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
December, 1957]
ALEX
REED
AND
JOHN
G.
VELU
143
There was no significant difference in the number of pounds feed consumed per
pound gain by the different groups of chicks [Table III].
Although the mortality rate for the total lot was approximately 15 per cent there
was no significant difference in the mortality rate among groups.
Four chicks on the 'high-protein' ration developed beak necrosis. It may have
been caused by the high-protein ration sticking in the beak although the number of
cases was too small to warrant that conclusion. The amount of lucerne leaf meal was
increased to 3 per cent in the rations used in the Trial No. 2. This supplied addi-
tional riboflavin and also tended to reduce the stickiness of the high-protein ration.
The data on the average weekly weights of White Leghorn chicks fed on 'normal'
and 'high-protein' rations with Aurofac in Trial No. 2 are summarised in Table IV.
TABLE IV
Average weight of White Leghorn chicks fed on normal and high-protein rations with
Aurofac
Protein
per cent
23.4
31.6
Aurofac
pp/cwt.
0.25
0.25
Start
44.0(40)
44.3(40)
Average weight at indicated periods
(gm)
2 wks.
86.1
94.3
3 wks.
116.4
140.3 a
4 wks.
160.9
211.1 b
5 wks.
201.6
284.7 b
6 wks.
247.8(39)
364.3 b (39)
( ) Indicates number of chicks.
a-P
.05
b-P
.01
Significance determined by "t" test [Snedecor 1946].
Trial No. 2 was conducted primarily to test whether the improved ration used
during the last four weeks of Trial No. 1 would prevent the curled toe paralysis when
fed from the first day. Aurofac was used in both rations in order to get as rapid
a growth as possible.
The 'high-protein' ration with Aurofac gave a highly significant increase in growth
rate over the 'normal-protein' ration with Aurofac when fed to White Leghorns up
to six weeks of age. There was no evidence of a deficiency of riboflavin. One chick
on the 'normal-protein' ration and one on the 'high-protein' ration died during the
six weeks of the experiment. There were no cases of beak necrosis in the Trial
No. 2.
SUMMARY
Ten pens of nine Rhode Island Red chicks each were fed on a 'normal-protein'
ration and ten similar pens were fed on a 'high-protein' ration containing a higher
than normal percentage of groundnut cake to seven weeks of age. Five pens on
the normal protein ration and five pens on the high-protein ration received Aurofac
at the rate of five pounds per ton of feed (aureomycin 9 grams and vitamin B 12 9
milligrams).
28 AR/57.
7
CHICK FEEDING TESTS
BY N. S. GAREWAL, YESH PAL NEB AND E. R. HALBROOK, Delhi State Model
Poultry Farm, Delhi
[ Received for publication on August 5, 1957
Accepted for publication on August 22, 1957]
(With 6 Text-Figs.)
T WO chick-feeding tests were conducted during the period from May 9 to July 3,
1957 at the Delhi State Model Poultry Farm.
The purpose of the two tests was (i) to determine the optimum level of fish-
meal to use as a protein supplement in combination with groundnut cake, and
(ii) to determine the maximum level of groundnut cake which can be used in a
starting ration as a replacement for more expensive grains.
The lowest prices quoted recently to the Delhi Poultry Farm, for grains and
other ingredients which are used in poultry rations are as follows:
Groundnut cake
Fishmeal
Ground maize
Bajra (millet)
Wheat bran
Ground barley
Shark-liver oil
*Rs. 26.4/maund
Rs.
7.25/maund
740/Long ton*
12.69/maund
14.44/maund
6.37/maund
11.25/maund
21.50/Gallon
These prices indicate the cost advantage of using the maximum level of ground-
nut cake and the minimum level of fishmeal.
MATERIALS AND METHOD
Each experimental comparison consisted of four lots of 45 chicks, each divided
between an equal number of S. C. White Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds. The
chicks were confined to brooders and wire-floored runways without access to yards
throughout the test period of eight weeks. Both water and feed were kept before
the chicks at all times. Limestone grit was fed from 4 weeks on and finely chopped
green feed after two weeks.
145
28 AR/57
8
146
CHICK
FEEDING
TESTS
[Vol. XXVII, Part IV,
The complete ration for each lot is given in Table I.
TABLE I
Ration for test chicks
Ration No.
Pen No.
Ingredients (Pounds)
Fish meal
Groundnut cake
Bajra
Ground barley
Ground maize
Wheat bran
Dried skim milk
Skark-liver oil
ICI mineral mix
1
1
0
25
20
20
15
10
5
2
2
2
2
2½
25
20
20
15
10
5
2
2
3
3
5
25
20
20
15
10
5
2
2
4
4
7½
25
20
20
15
10
5
2
2
5
5
5
20
30
12½
14½
10
5
2
2
6
6
5
30
20
12½
14½
10
5
2
2
7
7
5
40
10
12½
14½
10
5
2
2
8
8
5
50
0
12½
14½
10
5
2
2
RESULTS
The results secured from these tests are given in Table II.
TABLE II
Data from rationed chicks
Ration
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Kind of
ration
No Fishmeal
2½ per cent
5 per cent
7½ per cent
Gr. nut cake
20 per cent
30 per cent
40 per cent
50 per cent
Av. Wt.
at 4 wks.
(oz.)
3.8
5.0
4.7
4.2
4.3
5.1
5.1
5.4
Av. Wt.
at 8 wks.
(oz.)
7.3
10.2
9.7
10.6
10.8
10.9
11.2
12.9
No.
died to
8 wks.
6
1
5
7
2
2
1
9
Feed Cons.
per lb.
Wt. gain
8.00
5.35
6.21
5.90
5.80
5.69
5.57
5.67
Remarks
}Most loss during
first 10 days.
No
specific
symptoms.
}Paralysis
and
riboflavin
deficiency symp-
toms in lot 8.
December, 1957] N. S. GAREWAL ET AL.
DISCUSSION
It will be noted that up to 4 weeks of age the 2.5 per cent level of fishmeal gave
a growth rate exceeding the 5 and 7½ per cent level and 32 per cent in excess of
the no fishmeal lot. At 8 weeks of age there was no appreciable difference in weight
between the three lots containing the different levels of fishmeal but the lot contain-
ing 2½ per cent fishmeal now weighed 39 per cent more than the lot with no fish-
meal.
Since almost all of the mortality in these lots occurred during the first week or
10 days of the test, it is not believed that any significance should be attached to the
mortality. It should be noted, however, that the lowest loss (only 1 chick) occurred
in the 2½ per cent fishmeal-level lot. The fishmeal used came from the Director
of Fisheries, Bombay.
The groundnut cake replaced bajra (millet) in the ration with levels of 20, 30, 40
and 50 per cent. There was slight but consistant increase in growth rate with each
increase in groundnut cake level. The average weight for the 50 per cent level lot
was 25 per cent heavier at 4 weeks than for the 20 per cent level lot and almost 20
per cent heavier at 8 weeks of age.
Curled-toed riboflavin-like deficiency symptoms showed up in the 50 per cent
groundnut cake level lot at about 4 weeks and caused about half of the mortality.
The mortality of only 1 and 2 chicks per lot, or approximately 2 and 4 per cent, in
the other three lots was exceptionally good considering the weather conditions
under which the tests were conducted.
It is recognised that these chick weights are abnormally low in comparison with
reported U. S. growth rates, but the difference may be explained by a lack of anti-
biotics in the rations and the unfavourable weather conditions under which the tests
were conducted. Temperature readings in the experimental house showed as high
as 108°F at one time with a minimum of 81°F during the test period.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 show the average weights of chicks on different diets.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Fishmeal-level tests should be conducted on other lots of fishmeal but the
results secured in these tests prove conclusively that at least 2½ per cent of fishmeal
of the quality used will very markedly increase the growth rate of chicks when
added to a ration containing 20 per cent groundnut cake and 5 per cent dried
skimmed milk as the principal sources of protein.
2. An increase of the fishmeal level from 2½ per cent to 5 and 7½ per cent
caused a slight decrease in growth to 4 weeks and an inconsistent influence at
8 weeks.
3. Mortality increased from 1 to 5 and 7 chicks out of the 45 started at the 2½,
5 and 7½ per cent levels of fishmeal respectively, but, since almost all of this
mortality occurred during the first week or 10 days of growth, it was not believed
that the mortality trend had any significance.
148
CHICK
FEEDING
TESTS
[Vol. XXVII, Part IV,
Fig. 1. General view of experimental facilities used
Fig. 2. Curled-toed paralysis which showed up in 50 per cent groundnut cake lot
December, 1957] N. S. GREWAL ET. AL.
Fig. 3. Average chick at 4 weeks from
the 20 per cent groundnut-cake lot
Average weight—4.3 oz.
Fig. 4. An average chick at 4 weeks from
the 50 per cent groundnut-cake lot
Average weight—5.4 oz.
28 AR/57
9
150
CHICK
FEEDING
TESTS
[Vol. XXVII, Part IV,
Fig. 5. An average chick from the O
fishmeal lot at 4 weeks of age
Average weight—3.7 oz.
Fig. 6. An average chick from the 2.5
per cent fishmeal lot at 4 weeks of age
Average weight—5 oz.
December 1957]
N.
S.
GREWAL
ET.
AL.
151
4. Repiacing bajra with the less expensive feed ingredient, groundnut cake,
at 20, 30, 40 and 50 per cent levels caused a slight consistent increase in growth rate,
with the 40 per cent level lot weighing 25 per cent and 20 per cent respectively
more than the 20 per cent groundnut-cake lot at 4 and 8 weeks of age.
5. A curled-toe riboflavin-like deficiency symptom showed up in the 50 per cent
groundnut-cake lot, causing mortality of about 5 chicks.
6. It is concluded from these tests that at least 40 per cent groundnut cake can
be added to chick rations with a saving in feed cost and an increase in growth
rate. Higher levels than 40 per cent should be tested further before recommen-
dations are made.
VESPA CINCTA FABR.—A PREDATOR OF THE HIVE BEES
AND ITS CONTROL
By M. S. SUBBIAH, and V. MAHADEVAN, Agricultural College
and Research Institute, Coimbatore
[
Received for publication on May 4, 1956
Accepted for publication on July 10, 1957]
THE yellow banded wasps Vespa spp. are serious pests of the Indian honey bee
Apis indica. F. in South India. These are predatory in habits and carry off the
worker bees in great numbers from the hive entrances. Adults of Vespa coming
under the category of social wasps living in colonies, are seen all over
South India.
Two species were recorded, as predators, one, the common yellow banded wasp-
Vespa cincta. F.—occurs mostly in plains; Ramakrishna Iyer [1923] has
described in brief the nest and the nesting habits of this wasp and Ramachandran,
[1952] has mentioned this as a predator of the Indian honey bee. The other species,
is slightly smaller collected at Burliar at an elevation of 2,500 ft. above the mean
sea level. This was kindly identified by the Chief of the Division of the Entomology,
New Delhi as Vespa tropica var. haematodes Beq.
Their nests are built inside cracks, cavities or hollows in dilapidated walls, old
trees, inside thick cane stools, etc. The adult wasps are very ferocious and if dis-
turbed sting badly.
Preying habit
At Coimbatore, the adult wasps are observed hovering over the hives in numbers
from June to December. They frequent the hives on cool cloudy mornings in
numbers, and alight on the projecting baseboards in front of the hives and wait for
the bees as they go in or out of the hives. The alighting board provides a very
convenient place for the wasps to wait for stray unwary workers. At the opportune-
moment, the wasp pounces on the bees and flies off with its prey and returns a few
minutes hence. The depredations of these wasps coupled with low-breeding
during that period of the year reduces the strength of the activity of the colony
considerably. The colony gets weakened. These wasps concentrate on such dwindl-
ing colonies until the colony attacked either perishes or deserts.
153
28 AR/57
10
December, 1957]
M.
S.
SUBBIAH
AND
V.
MAHADEVAN
154
Control
The usual method of control is to spot out the nests in the vicinity where these
wasps are prevalent and destroying them by smoking after dusk. According to
Gouch [1919] the distance that Vespa will fly to attack a hive has been found
to be 5 miles in a straight line and [3rd Ent. Meeting, Pusa, Vol. II, 781]. Parathion
spray at 0.05 per cent directed towards the nest after sunset did not give quick
relief. Wasps were seen coming out of such sprayed nests even after 3 or 4 days.
Fumigation with calcium cyanide is found to be easier, efficient and causes instant
and complete mortality of the wasps.
It is not always easy to spot out the nests; in some instances they are located
in inaccessible localities, not convenient for the fumigation. Here the best thing is.
to net the adult wasps that fly around the apiary with hand nets and destroy them.
This is, however, tedious and costly, and has to be carried out vigilently for over
long periods. From the observations on the habits of these wasps, it is seen that they
first alight on a convenient spot on the alighting board of the hive and wait for an
opportunity to catch the worker at the hive entrance. Based on these observations,
the body in a few hives were pushed to the very front of the base board, thereby
not providing any space in front either for the bees or the wasps to alight on returning
to the hives or before taking off for pasturage. It was observed that the wasps
did not enter the hives where the hive bodies were pushed to the very front, while
they continued to snatch off the bees from the hives having the usual space in front
to serve as alighting board for the bees. Hence it is suggested that, in addition to
the destruction of wasps in their nests wherever possible, the bee keepers will do well
to protect their bee colonies from these wasps by pushing the hive bodies to
the very front of the base boards.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors thank Shri K. P. Ananthanarayanan, Government Entomologist
for having gone through the paper and for suggestions. They also thank Chief
of the Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
for having identified the newly recorded wasp collected at Burliar.
REFERENCES
Imms, A. D. (1946). A general text book of Entomology (6th Edition, 1946)
Ramachandra Iyer, S. (1952). Bee-keeping in South India, Madras Dept., Bull. 37. 4th Edition (1952)
Ramakrishna Iyer, T. V. (1923). Life history notes on Vespa civcta, Proc. fifth Ento. meeting— Feb.
1923, p. 261
A NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF AN ARACHNID-EL-
LINGSENIUS INDICUS CHAMBERLIN-INFESTING BEE
HIVES IN SOUTH INDIA
By M. S. SUBBIAH, V. MAHADEVAN and R. JANAKIRAMAN
[ Received for publication on May 3, 1956
Accepted for publication on June 21, 1957]
(With 1 Text Figure)
D URING the course of examination of bee colonies at Kotagiri and
Burliar (at elevations of 6500 ft. and 2500 ft. respectively above mean
sea level on the Nilgiris) a number of specimens of a certain species of a
chelifer, otherwise known as pseudo-scorpions was observed lurking inside the hives.
The full grown creature Fig 1. is about 8 mm. long and dark brown in colour. Younger
ones are also found on the base boards amidst debris and dirty particles; these
are pale white in colour. Both the adults and nymphs were found clinging on to the
adult worker bees close to the neck.
Specimens of the pest collected from Kotagiri were identified at the Indian
Zoological Museum, Calcutta as belonging to the order, Chelonethi; family, Cheli-
feridoe; species Ellingsenius indicus Chamberlin.
Though the extent of the harm done by these creatures to the bees is not exactly
known, it is certainly a hinderance to the foraging activities of bees as they are obli-
ged to carry extra weight of the pseudo-scorpions clinging to them. Hence the
general activities of such bees decrease and the affected colony dwindles in the course
Fig. 1. Ventral and dorsal view of Acanthasyis Siva
155
28 AR/57
11
156
ARACHNID INFESTING BEE HIVES
[Vol. XXVII, Part IV
of time. In a few instances the pest was so great that it brought about the
total death of workers in certain hives at Kotagiri. When wild colonies are hived,
there is no indication of their presence anywhere in the combs or on the bees, but in a
few days a number of them are seen moving about inside the bee hive. How and
from where they have got into the hive is not known.
A number of them were brought to Coimbatore for purposes of rearing, but
they failed to breed. In laboratory cages provided with debris and bees daily
the chelifers were noted to live up to 2 to 6 days. Ten specimens were introduced
into one of the working colonies at Coimbatore, but only two of them survived in it.
They lived for 2 months 20 days and 3 months 6 days respectively. Those kept in
empty tubes without debris or bees lived for 10 days only. Young caterpillars
of the wax moth—Galleria mellonella and honey bee eggs were given as food for the
chelifer, but these did not thrive.
It may be possible to reduce the infestation by chelifers by frequent cleaning of
base boards.
Chelifers are noted in large numbers on hill variety bees; but occasionally these
were also noted on plain variety at Coimbatore at an elevation of 1200 ft. above mean
sea level.
ABSTRACTS
The use of the Milk Ring Test in a survey of the incidence of bovide brucellosis in
southern Scotland. Forguson, G. S. and Robertson, A. (1954) J. Hyg. CAMBRIDGE,
52(1). 24-36
T HE authors have reported the results of the study on 'Milk Ring Test', under-
taken with the object of (i) examining the relationship of ring-test reactors
to blood-serum titres and to actual infectivity of milk, (ii) using the ring-test reaction
as a criterion to investigate the extent of brucellosis in dairy herds in Southern
Scotland and (iii) to studying the incidence of Br. abortus in raw milks supplied to
the city of Edinburgh and country of Midlothian.
The preliminary tests carried out in two herds free from Br. abortus infection
showed that the ring test, when applied to milks of normal character was very
accurate. The results of ring test of abnormal milk, due to mastitis or drying-off,
showed it to be positive in three cases out of twelve doubtful reactors to blood-
serum test.
In another herd, four animals giving a doubtful reaction on blood-serum test
proved negative to milk ring test, and it was assumed that the doubtful blood-
serum reaction was due to vaccination. Taking the serum agglutination test as
the criterion and considering only the samples which were negative or positive to
the test, the ring test agreed with the blood test in 97.2 per cent of 281 cases. By
adopting the other method where the doubtful reactors to either test were classified
as positive, the results showed that the ring test disagreed with the blood test in
6.7 per cent of 297 cases. The authors were of the view that the majority of the
doubtful reactors would have become negative on retesting.
In testing bulk milk samples the authors found that positive milks continued
to give positive reaction even when highly diluted with negative milk. In performing
the test for the purpose of routine diagnosis the examination of bulk milks of about
ten cows was considered to be safe procedure. Abnormal milk was recommended
to be excluded from the routine test, although in bulk samples the milk of such
animals had little or no effect on the results of the tests.
In testing Brucella-infected milk, a high percentage of ring test positive milks
showed negative reaction to guineapig serum agglutination test, but in no case was
infection found in ring-test negative milk samples.
The authors observed that ring test was correct in some 93 per cent positive
cases and that it was a simple time-saving and accurate screening test for detecting
herds possibly infected with Brucella.
In view of the high incidence (at least 10.5 per cent) of Br. abortus infection in
Edinburgh milk supplies in spite of the vaccination programme with Strain 19,
the authors were of the view that there was a need to investigate more fully the
efficacy of Strain 19 vaccination in reducing the incidence of Brucella infection
in milk. (B.R.S.)
157
28 AR/57
12
ABSTRACTS
159
New studies on comparative Brucella immunity with agglutinogenic and nonagglu-
tinogenic vaccines. FRANCISCO SIEIRO. (1954). Am. J. Vet. Res. XV, pp. 417-424
T HE author has attempted to evaluate the immunising values of nonagglu-
tinogenic Brucella strain 'B' (Rosenbusch) and the strain 19 (B.A.I.). Clean
heifers of 12 to 14 months of age were divided in three groups. Animals of group
'A' were administered vaccine prepared from the strain 19, those of group 'B' were
given vaccine prepared from the nonagglutinogenic strain "B" and those of group
'C' were left as unvaccinated controls. Six months after vaccination the heifers
were allowed to be covered by clean young bulls and only those heifers which became
pregnant were used for further study.
The pregnant animals of each of the 'A', 'B' and 'C' groups were divided into
two sub-groups, A 1 consisting of 6, and A 2 of 9; B of 21, B 2 of 21, and C of 11 and
C 2 of 8 heifers. Those of sub-groups A 1 , B 1 and C 1 were given an infective dose of
virulent Brucella culture consisting of 5 million organisms, the mean pregnancy
period of the groups being 162, 202 and 160 days respectively. Those of the sub-
groups A 2 , B 2 and C 2 were given a higher infective dose consisting of 50 million
organisms and the mean pregnancy periods being 172, 200 and 174 days respectively.
Necessary bacteriological and serological tests were carried out to find out the
infection due to the exposure, to the organism. The final criterion of infection
was established by the isolation of the infective organism from the placenta or from
the foetal organs or by the rising of the post-partum agglutinins to titres of 1: 100
or higher.
Judged by the standard mentioned above, it was found that 50 per cent of the
animals of the sub-group A, and 47.6 per cent of the animals of the sub-group B, were
immune while 81.8 per cent of the control group C, aborted. The infective dose,
in the sub-groups A 2 , B 2 and C 2 was rather very high, that only a small percentage
of the vaccinated animals of either group was found to be immune and all the con-
trol animals were infected.
Even though the results achieved are somewhat more favourable to the use of
strain 19 (B.A.I.) the author prefers the use of nonagglutinogenic strain "B" (Rosen-
busch) for routine vaccination of animals so that reaction due to natural infection
can be easily detected. He advocates the use of both the vaccines in heavily infected
areas, strain 19 (B.A.I.) for calfhood vaccination and strain "B" for revaccination
and for vaccination of adult females. (M.N.)
Nitrogen utilisation by lambs fed purified rations containing urea, gelatin, casein-
blood fibrin, and soybean protein.ELLIS, W. C., GARNER, G.B., MUHRER, M.E., AND
PFANDER, W.H. (1956), J. Nutrition, 60, 413-425
L AMBS were fed purified nitrogen free rations consisting of cellulose, starch sugar,
lard, minerals and vitamin A and D. Nitrogen was supplemented solely and in-
dividually by urea, gelatin, casein, bovine blood fibrin, and a purified soybean
protein. These rations contained approximately 7 per cent of crude protein and
supplied 3.6 therms of calculated gross energy per day.