Studies on the Vitamin K Requirements of Young Pheasants and Quail

Abstract

Abstract EARLIER reports from this laboratory have dealt with the protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, manganese, zinc, riboflavin, niacin, choline, sodium, chlorine, and iodine requirements of pheasants (Scott et al., 1954, 1958a, 1959a, 1960); and the phosphorus, sodium, chlorine, and iodine requirements of young Bobwhite quail (Scott et al., 1958b, 1960). Since little is known about the vitamin K requirements and relative vitamin K activities of vitamin K1, menadione, and menadione sodium bisulfite for young pheasants and quail, the studies were undertaken which are the subject of this report. EXPERIMENTAL All experiments were conducted at the Ithaca Game Farm of the New York State Conservation Department. Both the pheasants and quail were housed in wire pens with raised wire floors. The pens were equipped with thermostatically-controlled electric hovers. Each experimental lot contained 50 Ringnecked pheasants or 25 Bobwhite quail of mixed sex at the start of the experiment. All treatments were…