Preliminary research on thiamin deficiency in captive sea-birds

On behalf of sea-bird research at the NIOZ, in which it is necessary to keep and rear birds in captivity, a preliminary research on thiamin deficiency was carried out. Pyruvate contents of blood of 13 black-headed gulls were determined. In four birds this took place immediately after capture and in 9 birds after they had been on a special diet in captivity for over 10 days. A diet of smelt did not result in an increase in the pyruvate content of the blood to an extent permitting any conclusions on thiamin deficiency