The Effect of Management on the Vitamin B12 Content of Poultry House Litter

The Effect of Management on the Vitamin B12 Content of Poultry House Litter

“…These observations relative to chick growth have been confirmed by Halbrook, Winter and Sutton (1950) and on hatchability by Schlamb and Winter (1948). Rubin, Bird and Rothchild (1946) observed that the "animal protein factor" was present in hen feces, and McGinnis et al (1947) that incubating hen feces for 72 hours at 30°C.…”

“…At seven weeks this content was increased to 107 and at eight weeks to 124. Built-up litter over 1 year old from the parent breeding flockpen averaged 261 millimicrograms per (Halbrook et al 1950).…”

“…stimulated further synthesis of the factor as determined by chick growth tests. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE In a series of experiments in which a study was made of the relationship of litter management to the vitamin Bi 2 requirement in the diet of chicks and as reported in Part I of this series (Halbrook et al, 1950) an analysis was made of the vitamin Bi 2 content of the litter and of the chick droppings.…”

Fermentation

“…A strain of Aerobacter aerogenes gave more vitamin Bi2 than either Bacillus megatherium or several species of Streptomyces. In another paper Halbrook et al (154) described how poultry house litter can be used as a growth-promoting supplement for chicks being fed an all-vegetable vitamin B,2-deficient diet.…”