Factors Producing and Preventing Perosis in Chickens

PEROSIS, a term which has been rather generally accepted, refers to a defective leg and bone formation occurring in battery fed chickens. Articles and bibliographies dealing with this subject have appeared so frequently in recent years that no attempt will be made to review the history of this condition. References will be made to articles that have a direct bearing upon the specific problems here discussed. SOURCE OF DATA Five years ago, while making a study of the calcium and phosphorus distributions in the blood of young chickens, a few cases of defective hocks were observed. Since it was believed at that time that the condition was closely related to rickets, analyses were conducted to determine whether or not certain fractions of the calcium or phosphorus in the blood differed sufficiently from the normal to explain the cause of the disorder. After making careful external examinations of the legs, X-ray . . .