Temperature Control of Testosterone Propionate Solutions Used for Reducing Embryonic Development of the Bursa of Fabricius ,

Abstract

THE bursa of Fabricius is a central lymphoid tissue that influences the immunological competence of the chicken, Glick (1964). Embryonic development of the bursa can be inhibited by injecting testosterone propionate (TP) into the egg (Aspinall et al. 1961; and Warner and Burnet, 1961), or by dipping the egg in ethyl alcohol (EA) solutions containing TP, Glick and Sadler (1961) and Sato and Glick (1964). The efficiency of the dipping procedure depends on the temperature of the TP-EA solution and, within limits, does not seem to be affected by the number of eggs dipped in a given solution. Data will be presented to support these conclusions.MATERIALS AND METHODChickens used in these experiments were from a strain of the New Hampshire breed developed by Professor L. J. Dreesen at the Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station.The eggs were dipped on the third day of incubation. Approximately 1½ inches of the …