Role of Crystalline Vitamin B12 for Hatchability

Abstract

Animal protein supplements including liver meal, condensed fish solubles, fish meal, meat meals, and milk products have been shown to contain an unknown factor (or factors) required by chickens for reproduction and early growth. Rubin and Bird (1946) and Whitson, Titus and Bird (1946) found dried cow manure to contain similar factors. An animal protein factor supplement, available following the isolation of vitamin B12, was found by Lindstrom et al. (1949a) to contain factors essential for hatchability when hens received an all-plant ration. Lillie, Olsen and Bird (1949) have reported that crystalline vitamin B12 injected into eggs improved hatchability when the breeder hens were fed a diet deficient in this vitamin. Subsequent chick studies also showed improved livability and feathering following the B12 injections into the eggs. Their data is not completely in agreement or conclusive, primarily because of fairly high hatchability of eggs from the basal diet without vitamin .