Evening star., 1954-11-22
FotherIess Turkeys
Moy Be Possibility
Study Shows Some Eggs
Develop Embyos Unoided
By Thomas r. Henry

A continuing race OF fatheriess tur.
keys may be emerging.
Department Of Agriculture scientists
now have established to their own COM
plete satisfaction not only that embryo
birds develop up to q certain point In
unfertilized turkey eggs but-which
may be more significant Is an
inherent capacity which has made
great progress in certain turkey fam
lilies.
# their thesis holds up 1t represents
one Of the most remarkable genetic
developments ever reported.
The phenomenon first was observed
last year at the BeltSville (Md) expert
ment station at the department by
poultry scientists M. w. Olsen and 8. j.
Marsden. Although widely reported at
the time, there was shadow of doubt
about the observations. Mr.. Olsen and
MIR. Marsden have since put in years
work to verify their findings.
Turkey Hens Isolated.
They separated 79.virgin turkey hens
from their immature male pen mates
before they were six weeks old. These
females were housed In locked build
ing in pens remote from other turkeys
Mr.. Olsen took sole charge of them and
probably no birds ever have been so
zealously protected from any contact
with the wicked outside world. When
they started laying. every egg was
marked with code number In invisible
ink and placed In a locked incubator
where temperature and humidity were
very vigorously controlled. !e m
After the fourth day Of incubation
signs Of the development of an embryo
could be detected by the "candling pro.
cess" familiar to egg handlers. All in
which these signs could not be detected
were removed and broken. The results:
"In ~ Of the 568 eggs laid, embryos
and blood vessels were found. These
eggs, in terms Of equivalent develop
ment In normal eggs attained various
stages: eight embryos. two to three
days: eleven, four to six days; three,
nine to ten days; one. IA days; one, 18
days; three, 26 to q days. With one
exception, embryos which developed to
or beyond the equivalent of normal
9-day embryo appeared to be perfectly
formed.
Development Limited.
"In 492 Of the 568 eggs parthenogenic
development was limited to extra-
embryonic membranes. These, however,
frequently covered nearly the entire
surface Of the yolk. Development in
the other 49 eggs which were broken
reached the stage Of readily discernible
blood islands or vessels. The 22.4 per
cent incidence of parthenogenesis in the
1854 test compares with i4.1 per cent
in 1858.
''This increase is the result of selec-
ton Of females with a strongly de-
veloped trait Of producing such eggs.
Very few of the virgin females used in
the test failed to produce some parthen-
ogenic eggs. Some, however, produced
only few, but more than 20 per cent
Of the eggs laid by considerable num-
ber of the hens were of this type"
This fact. according to the Depart
ment Of Agriculture report, has
strengthened Mr.. Olsen's belief that
"the production Of parthenogenic eggs
is an inherited trait that probably can
be controlled by selection. Another in
dicator Is the fact that the test hens
laying the greatest number Of partheno-
genie eggs were the progeny Of one
male" sssst's
The inheritance thesis now Is being
given thorough test. The scientists
are using two distinct lines Of small
white turkeys breed developed q few
years ago by the Beltsville breeders.
None Actually Hatched.
It should be emphasized, the. poul-
try scientists say, that no actual live
turkey ever has been Matched from
an unfertilized egg. This may never
happen-but 1t may be made possible
with improvement of incubating tech
niques. There can be no doubt that
life starts and develops in some quite
close to the point of birth.
The phenomenon Is not restricted,
they say. to the particular small Belts
vile breed. It has been observed In
eggs from two other strains of normal.
sized turkeys. Parthenogenesis, 1t Ia
pointed out, may be not-uncommon
trait among birds which has not
hitherto been observed, or 1t may be
the result Of some extraordinary ge-
netic mutation which only affected
the flocks at Beltsville. Such muta-
tions. usually deleterious or lethal con-
stantly are taking place in all living
things-but seldom in such an exag-
gerated fashion.