The ratio of liver methylcobalamin to total liver vitamin B12 was estimated in a group of one‐week‐old chicks fed a folate‐free diet, and a group of three‐week‐old chicks fed a diet of insufficient folate content to allow normal growth but sufficient to delay mortality. The ratio in these groups was compared with those in control chicks fed a diet of adequate folate content.
The ratio of liver methylcobalamin/total liver B12 was significantly lower in the one‐week‐old chicks fed a folate‐free diet, than in their controls, but the ratios in the three‐week‐old chicks fed a diet of limited folate content and their controls were similar.
The significance of these findings is assessed and possible explanations for the inconsistency between the findings in the two folate deficient groups are discussed.
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