Tibiotarsi and femurs from five genetic lines of turkeys from 8 to 39 weeks of age were examined to define the characteristics of normal bones. Bone lengths and body weights are presented. Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) frequently was detected on gross examination and by high-detail radiography. The incidence of TD peaked at 12 weeks of age, when 79% of the toms were affected. This incidence rate dropped until the age of closure of the proximal tibial physis (22 to 24 weeks in toms) but remained 5 to 15%. Deformities of the tibiotarsi were frequently associated with TD in older toms. The incidence of TD and tibiotarsal deformities was highest in toms of the heaviest line.

Forty-seven commercial phosphorus supplements were obtained from feed manufacturers and subjected to biological phosphorus availability assay using the turkey poult. Bone ash was the response criterion. Compared to a reference source of commercial mono/ dicalcium phosphate (assigned 100), 7 other mono/ dicalcium phosphates averaged 97.1 (range 88.6 to 110.0), 20 dicalcium phosphate sources averaged 90.6 (76.3 to 104.8), and 20 defluorinated phosphate sources averaged 78.4% (68.6 to 89.6) availabilities. Combining equal parts of all sources of each type of phosphorus supplement and using purified grade calcium phosphate monobasic monohydrate as a defined standard, the commercial mono/ dicalcium phosphates, dicalcium phosphates, and defluorinated phosphates averaged (with 95% confidence limits) 93.6 +/- 7.6, 88.3 +/- 8.2, and 70.2 +/- 7.2% phosphorus availability in a slope ratio bioassay. Calculating the requirement intercepts utilizing the blended phosphorus supplements indicated apparent requirements using mono/ dicalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, and defluorinated phosphate of .74, .76, and .83% total phosphorus in the diet, respectively. Considering 1) the variability in availability of the sources, 2) variation in feed mixing, 3) the National Research Council requirement of .80%, and 4) that newly hatched poults are completely dependent on one batch of prestarter feed during 0 to 10 days of life, it is suggested that in certain instances field rickets could result from deficiency of dietary phosphorus.

Resting metabolic rates, weight gains and hematologic profiles of six newborn, captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns (four females, two males) were determined during the first 3 mo of life. Estimated mean daily weight gain of fawns was 0.2 kg. The regression equation for metabolic rate was: Metabolic rate (kcal/kg0.75/day) = 56.1 +/- 1.3 (age in days), r = 0.65, P less than 0.001). Regression equations were also used to relate age to red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), packed cell volume, white blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. The age relationships of Hb, MCHC, and smaller RBC's were indicative of an increasing and more efficient oxygen-carrying and exchange capacity to fulfill the increasing metabolic demands for oxygen associated with increasing body size.

Simultaneous pressure changes in four compartments of the ruminoreticulum of trained, fistulated animals in each of three species of ruminants (cattle, sheep, and goats) were recorded under varying conditions of animal position and activity. Motility patterns in the three species were similar in most respects. They were different in the following ways: 1) Reticular motility in sheep and goats was characterized during rest by a biphasic contraction having less relaxation between the two phases than in cattle. During rumination the first of these phases was reduced in magnitude in sheep and goats. The reticular regurgitation contraction was of longer duration in sheep and goats. 2) The sequence of contractions in the rumen was more variable in cattle. 3) In sheep and goats the secondary caudal dorsal blind sac contraction was lower in magnitude and of shorter duration than the primary contraction, whereas in cattle the primary contraction was lower in magnitude and of shorter duration.

No abstract