4 CONTROL BULLETIN No. 117 



Carotene and Riboflavin Content of Alfalfa and Alfalfa Leaf Meal 



The samples are somewhat like those reported in Bulletin 113. In some in- 

 stances the carotene content is so low that the product is practically valueless as 

 a source of carotene in poultry feeds. In others the content is excellent. Opinion 

 is that alfalfa products when used as a carotene source should contain at least 

 50,000 International Units per pound expressed in terms of V'tamin A equivalent. 

 Carotene is extremely unstable and is destroyed by high temperatures, aging, and 

 dampness. If alfalfa is to be held for long periods, it should be under carefully 

 controlled conditions. Some experimental work is being conducted in search 

 of a stabilizer to be added to alfalfa meals to prevent loss of carotene. 



Alfalfa is a fairly satisfactory source of riboflavin. While it does not hold 

 true 'n every instance, the riboflavin content is generally high where the carotene 

 is also high. 



Many of the samples analyzed exceeded their maximum fiber guarantees, a 

 condition that can easily be corrected by increasing the fiber guarantee to con- 

 form to the product. 



