The Effect of Certain Organic Compounds and Other Dietary Supplements on Perosis1

Abstract

A diet is described for the production of acute choline deficiency in chicks. The deficiency is characterized by slow growth and perosis. Perosis did not develop if creatine or gelatin was omitted from the basal diet, nor did perosis develop if the casein in the basal diet was substituted by meat scrap, but if casein and meat scrap were both included perosis developed. Manganese and choline were both found to be necessary for growth and for the prevention of perosis in chicks. Methionine at a level of 0.5% was found to be without effect on choline deficiency in chicks, although 0.1% choline was sufficient to prevent perosis and promote growth when added to the basal diet. This observation contrasts chicks with rats, which are protected from choline deficiency by methionine. The anti-perotic activity of certain natural foods was measured by feeding them in combination with the basal choline-deficient diet. The activity was removed from soybean meal and meat scrap by extraction with boiling alcohol. The nutritional factors affecting perosis are enumerated.