Feeding and breeding of laboratory animals. XII. A note on the breeding of guinea-pigs without fresh green food

Abstract

1. Five generations of guinea-pigs bred successfully on diet 18 supplemented with crystalline ascorbic acid but without fresh green food.2. No difference in reproductive performance was found between these animals and those of the normal breeding colony receiving unlimited supplies of fresh abbage.3. Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency appeared among some young of the fourth and fifth generations, showing that diet 18 alone contained barely enough of this factor for continuous reproduction througy many generations.4. Diet 18, supplemented by hay and fresh green food to supply vitamin C and additional vitamin E, provides all the essential factors required by the guinea-pig.