ANIMAL PRODUCTIOISr. 467 



The influence of temperature on the microflora of hay: Lactic and butyric 

 hays, C. Gorini {Atti R. Accad. Lincei, Rend. CI. Sci. Fis., Mat. e Nat., 5 ser., 

 23 (1914), I, No. 12, pp. 984-988; abs. in Internat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. 

 Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 5 (1914), No. 12, pp. 1626, 1627).— In a zymo- 

 scopic and bacteriological examination made of hay during its various stages of 

 fermentation, it was found that during the first three to five days the fermenta- 

 tion with a temperature of 50 to 55° C. (122 to 131° F.) was prevailingly lactic, 

 while as the temperature gradually rose to 60 to 65° and beyond, the mass 

 tended to become more of the butyric type, which renders it less desirable for 

 feeding purposes. Lactic acid fermented hay may be obtained by expelling as 

 much air as possible and maintaining a temperature of about 50°. 



Sugar as a feeding stufE, Neubauer (Landw. Ztschr. Rheinprovins, 16 (1915), 

 No. 12 f pp. 197-200). — A general review of experiments in feeding sugar to 

 horses, cattle, and swine, in which it has proved to be a desirable feed. 



The value of dried brewers' grains as a feeding material, E. T. Halnan 

 (Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 21 (1914), No. 9, pp. 821-825).— A resume of the 

 results obtained by various investigators on the feeding value of dried brewers' 

 grains, previously reported from other sources. 



Dried yeast as food for farm stock, C. Crowtheb (Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 

 22 (1915), No. 1, pp. 1-10). — Dried yeast is described as a material of powdery 

 to flaky consistency, varying in color from light to medium brown. It has 

 an agreeable smell, but a rather bitter taste, arising presumably from the 

 presence of hop residues with which the yeast is contaminated, which is dis- 

 liked by cows but is not objected to by pigs and calves. The average composi- 

 tion is given as moisture 4.3 per cent, protein 48.5, fat 0.5, soluble carbo- 

 hydrates 355, fiber 0.5, and ash 10.7. 



From feeding trials at Garforth, it appears that dried yeast is a desirable 

 feed for cows if they can be induced to eat it, but it is thought that until 

 some means of depri^^ng it of its bitter taste has been devised dried yeast will 

 never come into general use as feed for cows. In trials with 12-weeks-old 

 pigs fed 15 weeks, dried yeast proved to be a good feed, giving better results 

 than those obtained with an equal weight of middlings. It proved to be a 

 safe feed for calves, although no tests were made of its comparative feeding 

 value. 



It is said that dried yeast keeps well and on mixing with other meals and 

 water may be kept for some time without objectionable fermentation. It is 

 not thought that it possesses any special medicinal or dietetic virtues other 

 than those to be expected in any highly digestible feed rich in protein. 



Ensiling feed materials with the aid of a lactic acid bacteria culture, B. 

 Heinze (Jahresber. Ver. Angexv. Bot., 11 (1913), No. 2, pp. 142-167).— This is a 

 resume of information on methods of inoculating silage with a lactic acid bac- 

 teria culture. 



Studies on the preparation of silage, F. Samarani (Bol. Min. Agr., Indus, 

 e Com. [Rome], Ser. C, 12 (1913), No. 8-12, pp. 87-103; abs. in Internat. Inst. 

 Agr. [Rome], Mo. Bui. Agr. Intel, and Plant Diseases, 5 (1914), No. 12, pp. 1625, 

 1626). — In reviewing his experiments in making silage, the author states that 

 acetic and lactic fermentations take place. The first is an intracellular process 

 through which the sugars of the cell substance are transformed in the almost 

 complete absence of oxygen, first into alcohol and carbonic acid, and later by 

 chemical action into acetic acid. The second process is an ordinary lactic 

 acid fermentation, due to bacterial action. Of the total free acid content of 

 normal silage, 70 per cent is acetic acid, 20 per cent lactic acid, and about 10 

 per cent butyric acid. 



