Modification of the Biochemical Responses of the Immature Pullet to Œstrogen by means of Dietary Aureomycin

Abstract

THE effects and roles of dietary supplements containing growth-factors and antibiotics have recently excited widespread interest among poultry nutritionists. This interest prompted us to examine the effect of adding aureomycin to the diet upon the biochemical responses of the sexually immature pullet to œstrogen, and with reference to serum calcium and serum riboflavin in the first instance. It is well known that the increase of serum riboflavin evoked by œstrogen is closely related to the increase in serum calcium¹, and hence to the concurrent increases in serum phosphoprotein and phospholipid. These responses may be secondary to the effects of œstrogen on liver activity and function². Furthermore, Hertz, Tullner and Dhyse³ have shown that the magnitude of the response of serum riboflavin to œstrogen is, within limits, related to the level of riboflavin in the diet, a point which has been noted also in this laboratory⁴.