[The use of a methanol bacterial mass in multigenerational studies in the hen. 2. Laying period]

In a multi-generation trial with 120 or 96 hens of the breed White Leghorn per group the effect of diets containing 7.5% or 15.0% of methanol-grown dried bacterial cells was examined. The hens were kept in conventional three-stage battery. In two of the three experiments the feed intake was decreased if it was used methanol-grown bacterial cells as a protein source. The period of intensive laying (50% egg production) started later and the egg production has been decreased by using the bacterial cells. For the traits egg weight and mortality no relation to the nutrition could be found. The feeding of methanol-grown bacterial cells showed in two incubatory trials no negative effects on reproductive ability of the hens. The cock's sperm quality was not influenced in two experiments. In one trial the sperm volume was reduced and the sperm concentration was raised if diets contained methanol-grown dried bacterial cells. Indications of toxic influences of the methanol-grown bacterial cells were not found.