J. H. Soares Jr. E. F. Hill 1977 <p><span>Mercuric chloride (HgCl</span>₂<span>) was tested at 16 p.p.m. Hg for vitamin D sparing activity by presenting it dietarily in the presence and absence of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-HCC) to Japanese quail&nbsp;</span><i>(Coturmx c. japonica)</i><span>&nbsp;for 25 days. No gross signs characteristic of mercury poisoning were observed, but some predictable effects of vitamin D deficiency on avian reproduction were manifested within 10 days. Rate of lay, egg shell thickness, and hatchability of fertile eggs decreased markedly for birds on vitamin D-deficient diets. Shell-less eggs were laid by these birds after 20 days and laying stopped entirely on the 23rd day. Laying resumed within 5 days after diets were refortified with 25-HCC. There was no detectable interaction between HgCl</span>₂<span>&nbsp;and vitamin D.</span></p> application/pdf 10.3382/ps.0560710 en Elsevier Reproductivity of Japanese quail fed mercuric chloride in the absence of vitamin D article