Tlie protein also is determined on a representative sample of the fresh ma- 

 terial. Comparison of the results of this method with those using conven- 

 tional drying show that there are losses of gross energy and protein as high 

 as 10 percent due to drying. 



When these corrections are applied to the values for silages reported in 

 New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 409, p. 17, 1954, 

 the}- show that the silage excells both the mow-cured hay and the field-cured 

 hay in gross energy and digestible protein. 



N. F. CoLovos, H. A. Keener, 

 A. E. Teeri, H. a. Davis 



Methane Production Uniform in Ruminants Fed Roughages 



In approximately 400 nutrition balance experiments with dairy cattle 

 at the Metabolism Laboratory of the New Hampshire Agricultural Exper- 

 iment Station, the methane production was measured directly with a Car- 

 penter methane gas analysis apparatus. In about 130 of these experiments, 

 dairy cows received a ration consisting solely of roughage. The production 

 of methane in all these roughage evaluations was remarkably uniform 

 within plant species when they were fed as a maintenance ration or slightly 

 above. 



From this, it is concluded that a prediction formula for methane may 

 be worked out using the digestible energy content of the ration. Such a 

 value, along with the factor for estimating the energy loss in the urine, can 

 then be used to estimate fairly well the metabolizable energy of the ration. 

 If a similar prediction formula for heat increment of the ration can be 

 worked out, it will be possible to make an estimate of the net energy. 



Efforts are being made in the laboratory to determine such factors for 

 estimating heat increment. 



N. F. CoLOVos, H. A. Keener, 



A. E. Teeri, H. A. Davis 



The Excretion of Vitamin Bj^ by Cows 



The amount of vitamin B12 synthesized in the gastrointestinal tract of 

 cows is relatively very great as indicated by the fact that excretion of this 

 substance exceeds intake by many times. The fact that approximately 99 

 percent of the excreted vitamin B^o is in the feces suggests that this vitamin 

 is either poorly absorbed or that it is metabolized to some other compounds. 

 Preliminary results with rations consisting of hay, hay with oats, and hay 

 with corn indicate that the extent of synthesis of this vitamin in the intes- 

 tinal tract of cows may be affected by alterations in the ration. 



A. E. Teeri, D. Josselyn, 

 N. F. CoLovos, H. A. Keener 



Vending Machines Increase Use of Fluid Milk 



Vending milk in coin-operated package machines was started in the 

 University dormitories on the campus in the fall of 1951. During the Uni- 

 versity year 1951-52 there were only 6 machines in operation, but in the 

 fall of 1952, 7 more machines were placed in operation. For the last 2 years 

 there has been a machine in all of the dormitories on the campus. 



