was supplied by a 34 H.P. electric motor, but it could be supplied by some 

 moving part of a blower or conveyor. A wide range of delivery could be ob- 

 tained by means of a thumb screw under the revolving pan. It appears that 

 a positive type of applicator is the most satisfactory. 



P. A. Oilman 



The Value of Balsam Fir as Food For Deer 



The nutritive value of balsam fir. Abeis balsamea, an evergreen abun- 

 dant in New Hampshire woods, was determined in feeding tests with young 

 deer. Cooperative experiments were conducted by the Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station and the Fish and Game Commission of the State of New 

 Hampshire to determine the nutritive value of the forages available in the 

 woods to deer during the winter. 



Using yearling male deer, specially constructed metabolism stalls, the 

 indirect calorimeter, and the other facilities of the Metabolism Laboratory 

 of the Dairy Husbandry Department, a series of complete nutritive balances 

 were made on this forage with the deer receiving it as the sole ration. 



The results of the experiment show that even though the deer ate at an 

 average rate of about 5 pounds of the balsam fir per 100 pounds of body 

 weight, the ration was considerably under maintenance level both in energy 

 and protein. The digestibilities of the energy and protein were quite low, 

 47 and 27 percent, respectively. The utilization of the ration was very low 

 also, with high minus balances in both energy and protein indicating that 

 the animal was drawing on its own body for maintenance. Loss in body 

 weight substantiated this. 



It is concluded that this forage is of low nutritive value and at best can 

 serve deer only as a sub-maintenance diet which, if prolonged, would result 

 in the animal dying from starvation. 



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



A. E. Teeri, H. a. Davis 



Vitamin Synthesis in the Rumen of Deer 



There is a considerable amount of synthesis of certain vitamins in the 

 rumen of deer, as indicated by the urinary and fecal excretions of these vit- 

 amins v/hen deer were fed a ration consisting of balsam fir. While the syn- 

 thesis of nicotinic acid and riboflavin was slight, that of thiamine, and par- 

 ticularly of vitamin B12. was much more extensive, 



Vitamin synthesis by rumen microorganisms is an activity common to 

 all ruminants, but it appears to be especially high in the case of deer. This 

 fact is of particular importance to those animals which often may be sub- 

 jected to a rather limited type of diet. 



A. E. Teeri, N. F. Colovos, H. A. Keener 



The Relation of Seminal Fluid Fructose Levels 

 to Factors Affecting Breeding Efficiency 



Semen fructose analyses have been made on 408 ejaculates repre- 

 senting 34 bulls of the following breeds : Guernsey, Hereford, Holstein, 

 and Jersey. These ejaculates represent 306 first ejaculates, 86 second ejac- 

 ulates, and 16 third ejaculates. 



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