MASS INCIDENCE OF PARALYSIS OF EXTREMITIE S CAUSED BY RIBOFLAVIN DEFICIENCY IN BROILER-CHICKENS

Natural incidence of paralysis of legs with 100% morbidity caused by r iboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency was studied in two to three weeks ol d broiler chickens. At the early state of the disease, chickens moved difficult,sat on their hock, and their toes were kept bended (Fig 1). During the more developed stages, the chicken layed down slack with ex tended legs, swinging flaccid the wings. Grosspathological, as well as light- and electron-microscopical investigations revealed oedema and secondary degeneration (demyelinisation) in the peripherial nerves (in the nervus ischiadicus and nervus brachialis), between the neurofibri ls, as well as in the myelin sheath of neurofibrils and in the nucleus of Schwann cells that was not followed by inflammatory alterations (F ig 2 to 6).Clinical symptoms became milder after two days, ceased afte r one week of treatments with the therapeutical dose of Jolovit-B Vita min preparation (containing 2.1 g/l vitamin B2).