Scientists Find Parthenogenesis Caused Partly by ‘Activating Agent’ Continued studies of partheno genesis the spontaneous deve lopment of embryonic tissue in in fertile eggs reveal that in creased occurrence of this pheno menon in the eggs of non-mated tiu'keys and chickens may be due in part to an “activating agent,” the U. S. Department of Agricul ture says. Incubation tests conducted for the past three years at USDA’s Agricultural Research Center, Beltsviße, Md, by poultry scien tist M. W Olsen have shown a greater incidence of parthenoge nctic cell development in eggs produced by turkeys and chickens after the birds were vaccinated for fowl pox than in eggs produc ed by the same birds before vac cination. It is not yet clear whether the “activating agent” is the vaccine itself or a contaminant it may contain. Dr Olsen is convinced, however, that a combination of strains of birds genetically su sceptible to parthenogenesis and the presence of an unknown ac tuating agent results not only m a greater incidence of partheno genesis. but also in a more highly oigamzed development of the condition in eggs from non-mated hens Dr. Olsen’s studies indicate the tendency toward parthenogenesis in poultry can be increased or de creased by selective breeding. Certain families of chickens and turkeys receiving the Same vac cination treatment in his tests diftered widely in their ability to pioduce eggs that develop par thenogenetically. The same is | Shop Early in NEW HOLLAND | for Fine | ~ CHRISTMAS GIFTS Some Stores Will Be Open Friday Evenings :& Between Thanksgiving and Christmas in Addition to Thursday and Saturday Evenings, ft 8 ' ' f Look For The Calendars With The || . Dates Circled in Red. - Bnd hr • HIGHER egg production • GREATER LIVABILITY • BETTER FEED EFFICIENCY • TOP QUALITY MARKET EGGS Quiet them ftotn*.. ' Aaron J. Brubaker. Daniel G. Haldeman. Hiestand, Inc. Jacob S. Lehman P. L. Robrer & Bro., Inc.. YORK, PA. true of individual birds. During the past few years Dr. Olsen has tested more than 28,- 000 turkey eggs and about 20,000 chicken eggs for parthenogenesis In several cases, turkey eggs that developed parthenogenetically produced poults that hatched from the egg and lived a few hours, days, or weeks. One poult survived for 22 days and another for 18 days after hatching in March 1956. In the spring of 1957, 17 parthenogenetic poults were hatched. All but two died before, reaching seven days of age. One of the remaining birds lived 41 days, and the other was still sur viving at 194 days. These studies of parthenogene sis are providing new basic infor mation in two important fields of research; (1) on the pioblems of poultry fertility and hatchability, which are often critical for tur key produceis, and (2) on the fundamentals of cell development providing knowledge that is es sential for bettei understanding of poultry physiology and may al so have significant implications for research on cell growth in ail forms of life First indications that a virus might be involved in triggering parthenogenesis came in a 1955 test of eggs produced by virgin Dark Cornish pullets. Incubation tests made since that time have confirmed the earlier results. More than thiee times as much parthenogenetic development was encountered in the 1955 incuba tion tests of eggs produced by Dark Cornish pullets after vac cination for fowl pox than was DEKALB CHIX 1836 Marietta Ave., DeKalb Hatchery Lancaster Manheim, RD. 3 Marietta, RD. 1 Manheim, RD. 2 Smoketown Ph. 8-1770 c found in eggs laid by the same birds before vaccination. Vaccina tion for pigeon pox, involving a milder virus, also resulted in an increased incidence of partheno genesis, but it was-not nearly so gieat as the increase noted after fowl-pox vaccination. Similar tests in 1956 revealed much the same eifect a greater incidence of parthenogentic cell develop ment in the eggs after the birds were vaccinated for fowl pox. Tests of turkey eggs for par thenogenesis in 1956 involved 3.110 eggs laid by two different groups of virgin turkey hens. One group was composed of 16 non vaccinated birds. The second group included a total of 49 fe males that had been vaccinated for fowl pox at seven weeks of age and again at 30 weeks Full sisters were represented in each group to provide genetic uniform ity, thus helping to make the tests more conclusive. Of the 738 eggs produced by non-vaccinated turkeys. 180 or 24 4 per cent showed partheno gcnetic development following 9 to 10 days of incubation The 49 vaccinated turkeys produced 2,- 362 eggs, of Which 750 or almost 32 per cent showed partheno gcnetic development. Of these 750 eggs from vacci nated birds, 102 contained well formed embryos, 100 contained blood as well as membranes, and 548 showed membranes only In the eggs from non-vaccinated tur kejs, only 19 developed well formed embryos, while 47 showed blood as wel as membranes, and 144 showed membranes only Thus, eggs from vaccinated tur keys developed a higher ratio of well-formed embryos than did those from non-vaccinated birds, indicating induction of a greater degree of organization by the ac tivating agent, whatever its na ture. The results of similar tests just concluded for 1957 add further support to the theory that a virus may be involved in parthenogene sis Two groups of turkeys, of which 130 were vaccinated and 42 were not, laid a total of 8,558 eggs during the spring of 1957. The vaccinated birds produced 6,- 547 eggs of which 2,466 or 37 7 per cent showed parthenogenetic development The 42 non-vacci nated birds, full sisters or half sisters of the larger group, laid 1,767 eggs, of which 559 or 31 5 pei cent showed parthenogenetic development in the incubator It was also noted that the vac cination history of the mothers was correlated with the perfor mance of their non-vaccinated daughters Non-vaccinated tur keys coining from motheis which had been vaccinated only once pioduced fewer eggs that deve loped parthenogenetically than did other non-vaccinated females fiom mothers that had been vac cinated three times during their lives Nearly 5 times as many embryos and more than twice the number of eggs showing blood formation were found in eggs fi om non v accinated birds from thrice vaccinated motheis There aie some indications that the activating factor, what ever its natme, is being passed from mother to daughter through the egg This is shown by the tact that some parthenogenesis is en counteied even though the hens being tested are not vaccinated but aie the otlspring of vaccinat ed slock To further test this in dication, daughters of non-vac cinated parents are being raised this year Dr. Olsen’s work has shown that parthenogenesis is far less maiked in chickens than in tur keys. However, the microscope, used as a means of cross-checking incubation experiments, reveals • hat easily 50 per cent of new laid Dark Cornish eggs contain par thcnogenetic cells In most cases however, cells of this type die be fore the eggs are laid In a few cases, such cells in eggs from Dark Cornish hens may revive in the incubator and produce some embryonic membranes Parthenogenetic development beyond this stage is raie in chic ken eggs Thus far no chicks known to be parthenogenetic have hatched, and only two partheno gcnctic embryos have been dis covered in the thousands of chic ken eggs examined One of these smbryos reached a size equiva Lancaster Farming, Friday, Dec. 6, 1957—13 Farm Programs No Answer. Farm / Dealers Told More than five hundred Penn sylvania farm equipment dealers were told at their annual conven tion at Harrisburg last week that government programs often cre ate more problems than they solve. The farm implement men were addressed by Dr H M Love, head of the department of agricultural economics at Virginia Polytech me Institute, who presented a cap sule course in what happens when controls are applied to farm pro duction and prices J A. Connell of West Grove, Chester County, was elected pres ident of the group He suceeds Wayne A. Hindman of Butler Gerald Warner, Troy, and M C Arnold, Lewisburg, were elected vice presidents Other speakers at the conven tion included Sam Black, rural sales manager of the Smith-Gates Corp, who reminded the group of the real help they can be to farm ers in bringing them quality prod ucts and service as well as sound advice, and Sterling W Mudge, of the Socony Mobil Oil Co. of Ivew York The Arthur S Young Memorial Scholarship, donated by the deal er Association to an outstanding student in a Penn State short course in farm equipment serv ice and sales, was presented to John Thomas Asbury of Peach Bottom by Everett Young, son of the man for whom the scholarship is named. Othei students in the course were guests at the conven tion. Directors named at the conven- lent to that of a six-day normal chick embryo and the other de veloped to the size of an eight day embryo before death occur red within the shell. Give The Gift That Savs “Merry Christmas” || You’ll find the answer to your gift problems by l * jj!- 52 issues (1 year) ONLY 52.00 S' 156 issues (3 years) ONLY $5.00 |p HERE’S ALL YOU DO: Clip this Coupon.? :J| Mail it today to Lancaster Farming, Box 126, S Lancaster Farming, Quarryville, Pa. ||| Please send Gift Subscription to; || Name .. || Address Town • State J| Enclosed please find check, cash, or money order for: □ 1 year □ 5 years. giving a subscription to LANCASTER FARMING Quarryville, Pa. tion include Louis Garrone, Wash ington, Gerald Nicolls, Meadville, Verne Graff, Knox; M S. Keinfel tei, Biglerville; Joseph Walters, Honesdale, Galen Wineland', Mar ti nsburg, Elmer Plasterer, Leba non, and Don Cooper, Turbot ville More than 700 dealers in farm, garden, and light industrial equip ment from across the state ai*e members of the Pennsylvania Farm Equipment Dealers’ Assn, of which Robert Hartford, Phoe mxville, is executive director. AMES IN-CROSS egg //machine research builds It takes Ames In Cioss 10 tears to develop the chicks um bin at cm hatchcn todat Tins long bleed ing, icseaidi and testing piogiam lias just one pm pose . to gue con a bud that will help ton make the nic-t pioht fiom tour ponltiy ]n ogi am Stop in soon and let us gito ton the complete sloiv on tthaf Ames InCioss buds can do foi t cm Write For FREE Catalog And Name Of Your Nearest Representative to Department F Goldfus Hatcheries, Inc. NEW HOLLAND. Ph. El 4-22^4 52 Times
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