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The variations in limestone and flint grit consumptions by laying birds
Author(s) -
Tyler C.
Publication year - 1955
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740061109
Subject(s) - grit , laying , deposition (geology) , zoology , period (music) , alimentary tract , mineralogy , environmental science , biology , geology , paleontology , sediment , engineering , medicine , psychology , developmental psychology , structural engineering , physics , acoustics
An experiment has been performed to find the quantities of limestone and flint grit consumed (a) by different birds, (6) on different days and (c) between two‐hourly periods within the day. The influence of two different feeding regimes was also considered. It was found that with limestone grit there were differences between birds and also differences between days, but with flint grit there were no such differences. It was possible to show that the need for calcium created by shell deposition did not cause a greater consumption of limestone grit in any one period directly related to a specific time of shell formation nor over the whole period of shell formation. The period of greatest consumption of limestone grit was always immediately before dusk. Most flint grit was also consumed at this time. Grit balances and an examination of the contents of the alimentary tract showed that there was a very great wastage of both limestone and flint grit but that the amount of limestone dissolved was probably adequate for the needs of the bird.