The Effect of Thyroprotein on Growth Rate of Dwarf Pullets

Interest has been growing recently in the use of dwarf pullets for commercial egg production. Such interest stems from the possible saving in feed and housing costs due to the small body size of this bird. The adult body weight of the dwarf is approximately two-thirds that of today’s normal egg production pullet even though the hatching weights of both are the same. Comparatively little work has been done concerning the nutrient requirements for growth and egg production of the dwarf birds. However, from the work that has been reported by Bernier and Arscott (1966) and Arscott and Bernier (1968), it is evident that they consume much less feed, and egg production and egg size are significantly lower than that of normal hens. A study in our laboratory has confirmed the work of the above authors with regards to low egg production and small egg size and attempts to improve…