Riboflavin and Thiamine Content of Eggs from New Hampshire and White Leghorn Hens Fed Diets Containing Condensed Fish or Dried Whale Solubles

Genetic Variation in Efficiency of Thiamine Utilization by the Domestic Fowl

“…Similar results have recently been reported by Mayfield et al (1955) from comparisons of White Leghorns and New Hampshires, but a difference between those breeds in thiamine content of their eggs was evident only on diets containing "fish solubles" or dried "whale solubles,"-not on the control ration. Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks, which provided most of our eggs from heavy breeds, and all of those analyzed by Scrimshaw et al, were not sampled by Mayfield et al In our work there was a highly significant difference in thiamine content of eggs between White Leghorns as one class and heavy breeds as another, but no indication of consistent differences among heavy breeds.…”

Genetic Variation in the Utilization of Riboflavin, Thiamine, and Other Nutrients

“…Other evidence of more efficient utilization of thiamine by White Leghorns is found in the fact that they deposit more of that vitamin in their eggs than do the heavy breeds when hens of both types are maintained on the same diet (Scrimshaw et al, 1945;Mayfield et al, 1955;Howes and Hutt, 1956). Since Ellis et al (1933) have shown that hens on diets high in thiamine put more of that vitamin in their eggs than do hens on diets low in thiamine, it seems likely that the amount of thiamine found in the egg is some indication of the excess above requirements of the hen that laid it.…”

“…It has not yet been demonstrated that there are breed differences in the requirement of riboflavin for normal development of the embryo. However, Mayfield et al (1955) reported that the riboflavin content of their White Leghorn eggs was 221 pg. against 184 for New Hampshires, the difference being highly significant statistically.…”

Studies on the Vitamin Requirements of Poultry

“…Lamoreux and Hutt (1939) reported that the survival time of White Leghorn chicks on a thiamine deficient diet was longer than those of Rhode Island Red and Barred Plymouth Rock chicks. Scrimshaw et al (1945), Howes and Hutt (1956) and Mayfield et al (1955) reported that the content of thiamine and riboflavin in the eggs of White Leghorn hens was significantly higher than that of other breeds including New Hampshire and White Plymouth Rock. The findings given in these reports agree with the results of the experiments reported in this paper, suggesting that the White Leghorn chicken has genetically the ability to utilize thiamine, riboflavin and niacin more efficiently than the other breeds.…”