Milk vs. Egg Diluter As an Extender for Bull Semen 



Using the split-sample technique for a three-month period, fresh skim 

 milk dilutor was compared with egg dilator with the semen of ten selected 

 hulls (5 Guernsey. 3 Holstein, and 2 jersey) from the New Hamsphire- 

 \'ermont Breeding Association. 



The percent of 60-90 day non-returns on the 1.346 first services (309 

 Guernsey, 643 Holstein, and 394 Jersey) with the milk dilutor was 64-6. 

 For the egg dilutor the percent of 60-90 day non-returns on the 1,347 

 first services (315 Guernsey, 603 Holstein, and 429 Jersey) was 66.2. 

 The percentage of non-returns was better for the egg dilutor though the 

 difference is not large. On an individual bull basis, five, or half of the bulls, 

 showed a better percentage of non-returns with the milk dilutor. 



Several combinations of non-fat dry milk have been tried as a possi- 

 I'le dilutor for bull semen in the laboratory. So far the results do not indi- 

 cate that a combination has been found that is worth sending out to the 

 technicians for a field trial. 



H. C. Moore 



Sodium Metabisulfite Appears to Have Possibilities 

 As a Silage Preservative 



Preliminary studies were carried out using sodium metabisulfite as a 

 silage preservative. It was used at the rate of eight pounds per ton of 

 legume forage and was mixed with the forage as it went through the 

 blower. This white granular material comes in 100-pound multiwall paper 

 bags and retails for 8 to 9 cents per pound. 



Silage treated with this material was compared with similar silage 

 made without preservative. Although both silages were of excellent quality, 

 that preserved with the bisulfite was a little milder in odor, contained more 

 carotene, and was a little less acid. It was accepted very readily by lactat- 

 ing dairy cows. It appears that considerable bisulfite will be tried as a 

 silage preservative in the area this year as a result of this work and that 

 carried out at other stations- 



H. A. Keener, N. F. Colovos, H. A. Davis 



Minor Element Content of Forage Can Be Reduced 

 by Increasing the Yield 



A long-time experiment to determine the effect of heavy fertilization 

 and increased yields on the minor element content of forage is in its fourth 

 year. Results to date indicate that heavy fertilization will reduce the minor 

 element of ladino clove;- as well as that of timothy and brome grass. Ele- 

 ments decreased most were col)alt and copper while iron and manganese 

 were reduced to a lesser degree. 



When these forages were fed to dairy cattle along with a low mineral 

 grain mixture, cobalt deficiency symptoms developed first. After this was 

 eliminated another deficiency syndrome developed. It was characterized 

 in growing animals by a poor growth rate, broken bones, anemia, ataxia of 

 rear legs, and nervous symptoms. In lactating animals, poor production, 

 rapid loss of weight after calving, and anemia were observed in both the 

 animals fed timothy hay and in those fed the ladino-brome mixture. A 

 phosphorus deficiency developed after lactation started in the timothy-fed 

 animals, but this was corrected without relieving the other symptoms. 



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