Effect of papain injection on mineral concentration in tissues of roosters and hens [Chickens]

A study was made of the effect of injected papain on the concentration of calcium, iron, copper, zinc and selenium in tissues of roosters and laying hens. Half the males and females were injected intravenously with a papain solution and the other half with 0.9% sodium chloride. The roosters and half the laying hens were injected one-hour ante-mortem and the others injected 24 hours ante-mortem. The laying hens had less Zn, Fe, Cu and Ca in the skeletal muscle than the roosters, and less Fe and Cu, but equivalent amounts of Ca and Zn, in the kidneys. In the roosters the kidney contained approximately five times as much Se as the muscle. The liver contained equivalent concentrations of Se in the roosters and laying hens. Papain had no effect on the concentration of any of the elements in the tissues. There was no significant difference in the concentration of the minerals between one-hour and 24-hour ante-mortem injections of the papain in the laying hens.