Effect of Urease Injection on Body Weights of Growing Rats and Chicks.

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Abstract
Weanling rats and day old chicks were immunized with jackbean urease by injections during the first 4 weeks of experiments lasting 8 weeks. During 4-8 week or post injection period, the immunized chicks gained 905 g vs 777 g for their controls and were more efficient in converting feed to weight gain. In two successive experiments immunized rats grew slightly faster and showed a difference in feed efficiency which was statistically significant (P < 0.01). In both chicks and rats there were no differences in body weight during the 0-4 week injection period. Antibodies to urease were demonstrable in sera of immunized rats by in vitro tests on extracts of the gastrointestinal tract as well as by precipitin reactions. Immunized rats metabolized less C-14 urea in vivo and possessed less urease activity in the gastrointestinal tract than did the controls. A total of 40 chicks and 60 rats were studied. Soybean diets of suboptimal nutrient content were fed.