Signs of Deficiency in the Embryo

Vitamin A:

Death at about 48 hours of incubation from failure to develop the circulatory system; abnormalities of kidneys, eyes and skeleton.

Vitamin B:

Mortality at about 20 days of incubation, with atrophy of legs, edema, hemorrhaging, fatty organs, and head between thighs malposition.

Vitamin D:

Death at about 18 or 19 days of incubation, with malpositions, soft bones, and with a defective
upper mandible prominent.

Vitamin E:

Early death at about 84 to 96 hours of incubation, with hemorrhaging and circulatory failure (implicated with selenium).

Vitamin K:

No physical deformities from a simple deficiency, nor can they be provoked by antivitamins, but mortality occurs between 18 days and hatching, with variable hemorrhaging.

Thiamin:

High embryonic mortality during emergence but no obvious symptoms other than polyneuritis in those that survive.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B):

Mortality peaks at 60 hours, 14 days, and 20 days of incubation, with peaks prominent early as deficiency becomes severe. Altered limb and mandible development, dwarfism and clubbing of down are defects expressed by embryo.

Niacin:

Embryo readily synthesizes sufficient niacin from tryptophan. Various bone and beak malformations occur when certain antagonists are administered during incubation.

Biotin

High death rate at 19 days to 21 days of incubation, parrot beak, chondrodystrophy, several skeletal deformities and webbing between the toes. Perosis.

Pantothenic acid:

Deaths appear around 14 days of incubation, although marginal levels may delay problems until emergence. Variable subcutaneous hemorrhaging and edema; wirey down in poults.

Pyridoxine:

Early embryonic mortality based on anti vitamin use.

Folic acid:

Mortality at about 20 days of incubation. The dead generally appear normal, but many have bent tibiotarsus, syndactyly and mandible malformations. In poults, mortality at 26 days to 28 days of incubation with abnormalities of extremities and circulatory system.

Manganese:

Deaths peak prior to emergence. Chondrodystrophy, dwarfism, long bone shortening, head malformations, edema, and abnormal feathering are prominent. Perosis.