The effect of feeding cacao shell to cows on the vitamin D content of butter (milk).

IT has recently been reported by Knapp and Coward [1934] that cacao shell, an important by-product of chocolate manufacture, is rich in vitamin D. The sample examined by them contained 28 International Units (i.u.) per g. and was therefore about one-quarter as potent as an average cod-liver oil. For a vegetable product the potency is quite exceptional. As cacao shell is mainly used in cattle food, feeding tests with milch cows have been carried out at this Institute in collaboration with Mr A. W. Knapp and Mr A. Churchman of Messrs Cadbury Bros., Ltd., of Bournville and it is proposed to present here the results of vitamin D assays carried out on butters from cows which received cacao shell in their rations and on butters from control animals. EXPERIMENTAL.