ASCARIDIA-GALLI INFECTIONS IN FREE-RANGE LAYERS FED ON DIETS WITH DIFFERENT PROTEIN CONTENTS

1. One hundred and twenty 17-week-old Lohman Brown hens were divided i nto 4 groups. Groups I and 3 were given a diet with 180 g protein/kg a nd groups 2 and 4:were given a diet with 140 g protein/kg. Groups 1 an d 2 were orally infected with 500 (+/- 50) embryonated Ascaridia galli eggs. 2. Marked differences in mean weekly weight gain for the 4 grou ps were observed. 3. Hens given 140 g protein/kg had a significant low er mean worm burden of adult A. galli worms and a significant lower we ight gain compared to the group given 18g protein/kg. 4. There was no significant difference in faecal egg counts between the 2 parasitised groups. 5. The egg production did not differ significantly between any of the groups. 6. The results of this study indicate that the amount of dietary protein in the diet has an effect on the establishment of A . galli infections in the gut of layers kept under free range conditio ns.