Abstract
Ninety broiler chicks were exposed at the age of 2 days to single doses of gamma radiation, delivered at the rate of 8 R/min. Total exposures ranged from 100 to 900 R. No mortality that could be attributed to radiation exposure was observed in any of the birds during the first 30 days after exposure. Although growth rate decreased significantly with increasing dose, the decrease was nonlinear. Growth rate was little affected by additional dose between the levels of 300 R and 600 R. The highest level which the birds could tolerate without any significant decrease in early growth rate was 200 R. Thirty-two-day weights decreased linearly wlth increasing dose, the decrease averaging 19 g per 100 R of additional exposure. However, a series of allometric growth measurements revealed no significant change in the length of the culmen, tarsus, or longest primary wing feather with increasing dose. Only the middle toe was significantly smaller at the higher dose levels. It appears that body size is less affected by ...
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call