OSTEOPATHY IN BROILER CHICKS FED TOXIC MIMOSINE IN LEUCAENA-LEUCOCEPHALA

Further studies of mimosine toxicity in broiler chicks were done to cl arify a possibility of osteopathy. The mineral content and density of femur and the strength, ductility, and toughness for the index of mech anical properties significantly decreased in the 1% mimosine group, co mpared with those in the control and restricted groups. The stiffness had a decreasing tendency in the 1% mimosine group. Consequently, it w as concluded that chicks fed ad libitum a 1% mimosine diet for 12 days developed osteopathy. The bone mineral density and the strength of th e restricted group were lower than those of the control group, and tho se of the 1% mimosine group were till lower than those of the restrict ed group. Contents of pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline in the excrem ent were significantly higher in the restricted group than those in th e control group, but the contents in the 1% mimosine group were signif icantly lowest among the groups. Osteopathy in chicks fed mimosine, th erefore, seemed to be done by loss of appetite and changing to a low t urnover of bone caused by mimosine.