Body Weight and Organ Weight of Growing Chickens and Effects of Repeated Injections of Epinephrine on these Weights

The body weight and organ weight of growing chickens and the effects of repeated injections of epinephrine on these weights were investigated. The results obtained were as follows. 1. From the growth rate of chickens, 90 days after hatching were divided in three periods, viz., 1-30 days of age body weight increased rapidly, 30-60 days it increased smoothly with an advance in age and 60-90 days it increased gradually. 2. The weight of brain, heatr, liver, pancreas, kidneys, proventriculus, gizzard and intestine (from duodenum to colon and rectum) of chickens increased rapidly unitil about 10 days after hatching, but the weight of muscles (M. gastrocnemius) increased smoothly with an increase in body weight up to 90 days of age. 3. From the result obtained in the test on plasma glucose and cyclic AMP response to epinephrine, the proper dose per day of epinephrine to chickens was proved to be a rate of 500 μg/kg. 4. The growth rate of chickens aged 30-49 days was significantly decreased by daily subcutaneous injections of epinephrine for 20 days, but the growth rate of chickens aged 1-20 days and 70-89 days were not modified. 5. The weight of heart was significantly increased by repeated injections of epinephrine, but the other organ weight was not modified.