An Attempt to Shorten the Molt and to Stimulate Egg Production by the Feeding of Methionine

Abstract

It has been found in this laboratory (Holman, 1941) that when egg production exceeds 50 percent, or when the daily feather loss during the molt exceeds 0.9 gm., hens fed a practical poultry ration are usually in negative sulfur balance. Since methionine is a constituent of egg albumin and since it is an essential amino acid for the growing chick (Klose and Almquist, 1941), although its essentiality for the hen is not known, it is conceivable that heavy layers are forced to draw upon their body supply of this amino acid for egg formation. Such a withdrawal might disturb the physiological status of the hen and be one of the causes of high mortality commonly observed in laying flocks. Furthermore, it was considered possible that an increase in the methionine consumed might furnish a constituent necessary for feather formation and thus shorten the molt.Consequently on the assumption that the .