The Effect of Antioxidants and a Vitamin B12 Concentrate on the Utilization of Carotenoid Pigments by the Chicks

DAM et al. (1948, 1951) have shown that the addition of certain anti-oxidants to vitamin E-low rations containing large amounts of highly unsaturated fatty acids afforded protection of the chick against exudative diathesis and encephalomalacia comparable to that obtained with the use of alpha tocopheryl acetate. More recently, Singsen et al. (1955) and Bunnell et al. (1955) have found several other antioxidants, including N,N’ diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPPD) and 2,6 di-tertiary-butyl-4-methyl phenol (BHT), which prevent encephalomalacia in chicks fed a vitamin E-low diet containing 2% fish oil. Matterson et al. (1955) have shown that adding DPPD to a chick ration containing fish oil as a source of vitamin A produced a substantial increase in the utilization of this vitamin. From the results of these experiments, it is postulated by the authors that some antioxidants may have a direct effect upon the utilization of carotenoid pigments by the chicks. To investigate this possibility, …