Nutritional Studies with the Duck

Abstract

The duck is an extremely rapidly growing animal and on an adequate ration gains approximately 40 gm. a day during the first 3 weeks of life with an efficiency of food utilization of 50%. Good growth, but somewhat less than optimum, occurs on purified diets containing only liver extract as the crude material. The factor in liver extract is similar or identical to the eluate factor or factors required by the chick. As in the chick, a deficiency results in an anemia. The duck is similar to the chick in that additional amino acids above those supplied by 18% casein are required for good growth. Gelatin is superior to casein as a source of these amino acids. Biotin is required by the duck. No symptoms other than very poor growth were noted in this deficiency.