Two breeds of zebu viz. Hariana and Sahiwal were examined for the possible existence of red cell K+ polymorphism. All the animals examined appeared to be LK type. However, red cell K+ concentration varied rather widely between 7 and 50 m-equiv/1. Within the major LK type three distinct subtypes, tentatively designated as low low (LLK), medium low (MLK) and high low (HLK) were observed. The mean red cell K+ concentration in the various subtypes in the same order were 12·5, 19·5 and 38·0 m-equiv/1 respectively. LLK animals were significantly more frequent in the Sahiwal than in the Hariana breed. The possible genetic basis of the occurrence of these subtypes within the major LK type is discussed.

LLK animals had significantly higher pcv, Hb and RBC, than MLK animals. The WBC and plasma protein values were also higher, though not significantly, in the former group. In addition, animals of the LLK subtype showed consistently lower rectal temperature at comparable levels of respiratory effort under conditions of thermal stress than MLK animals.

1. Fifty buffalo-cows were used for studying the pH of the vaginal secretion at different stages of the sex cycle.

2. Highly significant differences were found in the pH value of the vaginal secretions during the different stages of the sex cycle. The average was 7·3 during oestrus, 8·1 during dioestrus and 8·3 during pregnancy.

1. Increase of acidity with depth, is a common feature of Nigerian soils.

2. Examples and possible explanations are given for three types of acidity increase with depth. In the first, the greater acidity is confined to the depths immediately below the surface and is possibly dependent on a permanently undisturbed vegetation. In the second, the acidity continues to increase to a certain depth below which there is a regular decrease. This is more evident on mature soils, and may be dependent on a short but intense rainfall followed by a prolonged drought. In immature soils, derived from igneous acidic rocks under alternate wet and dry seasons, the acidity increases steadily with depth into the decaying rock mass.

The United Kingdom produces enough barley grain to meet its needs for animal feed and brewing. The Scottish grain whisky trade, however, imports large quantities of high-diastase barley from Canada (Hayter & Allison, 1975). The breeding of highdiastase cultivars which could be grown in Scotland and so replace these imports has been pursued at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI).

(1) The results of experiments on the rate of horizontal flow, and on the rate of gain in mass, or kerosene and of water in fine and crumb fractions of certain West Indian colloidal soils, comprising three siliceous soils containing different amounts of calcium carbonate, and two lateritic soils, are described and tabulated.

(2) The methods of experimentation employed were those elaborated by Green and Ampt, whose equations were found, however, not to fit the values obtained, as is to be expected.

(3) The siliceous soils examined possess relatively high swelling coefficients, and their component particles, when wetted, cohere to a greater or lesser extent, depending on lime content. These properties appear to account for the relatively low rates of permeability to water in these soils. Lateritic soils, on the other hand, possess low swelling coefficients, and low cohesiveness; water percolates through them relatively very rapidly.

Stimulatory effects upon germination and growth were observed in a very wide range of dosages, upon exposing seeds and seedlings to the radiation from a radioactive mud of Hungarian origin. Emanation was not excluded, but interposed lead sheet practically abolished the significant differences. Stimulation was observed whether the seeds were placed directly in contact with, or at a little distance from, all but the largest amounts of mud. Treatment of seeds, before sowing, with the radiation from large amounts of mud for periods exceeding about 48 hours was harmful to germination and to growth; this harmful effect was more marked when the seeds were moistened.

The degree and the kind of stimulation varied with the kind of seed and its history. Wheat seeds treated with vital stains showed responses to irradiation which appeared to depend upon the stain.

In the official methods of soil analysis followed in this country, the available phosphate is determined by Dyer's (1) method. This consists in determining the amount of phosphoric acid, which becomes soluble, when 200 gm. of soil are shaken continuously for 24 hours with 2 litres of water, containing 20 gm. of citric acid. The result is expressed as a percentage of the weight of soil. It is usual to infer lack of available phosphate if less than 0·01 per cent. P2O5 becomes soluble under these conditions. Hall (2) has suggested the necessity for a revision of this limit.

The present work was carried out on 24 coarse-wool Barki and ⅝ Merino–⅜ Barki ram lambs to study the effect of vitamin A supplementation on some skin and wool characteristics. Lambs, at the age of 6 months, were allotted to three groups receiving no vitamin A supplement, 50000 i.u. and 100000 i.u. of vitamin A/head monthly. Blood samples were taken monthly for the assessment of vitamin A in the plasma. It was found that vitamin A in the plasma ranged from 42·4 to 17·50 and from 41·67 to 50·03/ μg/100 ml in the control and treated groups respectively, from the start of the experiment till the end at the age of 17 months.

Vitamin A supplementation caused increments in external diameters, of primary and secondary follicles in Barki and primaries in ⅝ Merino, higher than those encountered in internal diameters. An increase in staple length and clean fleece weight of ⅝ Merino and a slight increase in Barki fibre diameter was observed in vitamin-A-supplemented animals.

The results are reported for an experiment in which nitrogen rates from 0 to 672 kg/ ha and potassium rates from 0 to 558 kg/ha were applied annually on an S. 24 perennial ryegrass sward. At each of the five crops cut annually the yields of herbage dry matter and crude protein, and the potassium content of the herbage dry matter were determined. The potassium content of the soil was also measured annually. Models relating each of these variates to the nitrogen and potassium rates were derived, and their validity is demonstrated with reference to the results from earlier experiments. The problems associated with determining the correct rate of potassium fertilizer to apply on swards receiving given rates of nitrogen fertilizer are discussed using the models to predict the effects of different nitrogen-potassium combinations. In order to relate the implications of this discussion more closely to practical grassland management, economic as well as biological criteria are taken into account by incorporating cost factors in the models.

Previous attempts to study the effect of virus infection on nitrogen-fixing ability of some legumes (Tu, Ford & Grau, 1970; Singh & Mall, 1974; Gupta & Joshi, 1976; Tu & Holmes, 1980) concentrated mainly on the effect of virus infection on the extent of nodulation or on the amount of nitrogen fixed by diseased plants or both. The effect of virus infection on the bacterial population and the physiological status of virus-infected nodules has received little attention.

One of the most widely used methods of root study involves obtaining soil cores and washing the roots contained free of soil (Wellbank & Williams, 1968; Ellis & Barnes, 1971; Kolesnikov, 1971; Schuurman & Geodewaagen, 1971; Bohm, Maduakor & Taylor, 1977). However, the process of root washing is time consuming and laborious. Some of the washing assemblies elsewhere (Peyev, 1952; Schuurman & Goedewaagen, 1971; Wellbank et al. 1974) have not gained popularity with researchers in developing countries because of the high costs involved or the sophisticated facilities needed. There is therefore a need for a low-cost root washing apparatus which can be fabricated with locally available materials. This note reports the development of such an apparatus.

1. A series of experiments, involving the use of three hundred and forty Rhode Island Red x Light Sussex day-old cockerels, was carried out to determine (a) the influence of floor type on the incidence of perosis, and (b) a method of lowering the high incidence of perosis which may occur when chicks are fed the experimental diet no. 124 originally described by Dam et al. (1951).

2. It was found that the incidence of perosis was about 60% higher in groups of chicks raised on wiremesh floors than in groups of chicks similarly raised on wooden floors.

3. Neither the area of the floor space nor the level of manganese in the diet influenced the incidence of perosis.

4. When the calculated choline content of the diet was 500 mg./kg. the incidence of perosis was 60% but when it was raised to above 800 mg./kg. the incidence fell to about 15%. This could not be reduced further by further increasing the choline content.

5. Since the rate of body-weight gain increased as the choline content of the diet was raised to 1400 mg./kg. it is suggested that diet no. 124 may be improved from both the points of view of perosis prevention and of growth rate if the choline content is raised to 1500 mg./kg. of diet.

In the process of manufacture of sugar from sugar beet, the sugar is first extracted from the beet by appropriate means, and the wet residue or pulp is then dried and sold for cattle feeding. The composition of the dried pulp or slices differs somewhat according to the nature of the process used in the extraction of the sugar. In the “diffusion” process, in which water is used, the extraction is very efficient, with the result that the sugar content of the dried pulp is low. In the Steffen process, in which press methods are used, a fair amount of sugar is left in the dried residues. In the de Vecchi process the sliced beets are dried before the extraction of the sugar takes place, and a certain proportion of these slices is occasionally marketed on the Continent as cattle food. The characteristic differences between these three types of pulp are shown by analyses given by Fangauf and Waldow(1).

A missing value technique for the analysis of data where repeated measurements are taken on each experimental unit is proposed. The method suggested, which is a natural multivariate analogue of the well-known technique for univariate analyses, fits those missing values which minimize the determinant of the sums of squares and products matrix and provides the necessary downward adjustment to the residual degrees of freedom. A simulation exercise provides evidence that the method is fairly reliable.

Thirty-two weaned Kenana bull calves were adequately fed to maximize growth and serially slaughtered at predetermined live weights of 100, 200, 300 and 400 kg. Eight animals were slaughtered at each slaughter point and the left side of each carcass dissected into individual muscles, bone, fat, tendons and fascia. Individual muscles were grouped into nine muscle groups and the distribution of intermuscular fat was studied in four anatomical regions. Huxley's (1932) allometric equation was used to describe the development of carcass tissues.

Relative to overall carcass side growth, fat was the fastest developing tissue, followed by muscle and bone tissues in descending order. The muscles of neck + thorax and abdominal muscles exhibited the fastest rate of growth relative to overall total side muscle growth, and the distal muscles of both limbs exhibited the slowest rate of relative growth. Relative to the rate of side fat deposition throughout the experiment, subcutaneous fat was deposited at a faster rate than intermuscular or kidney + channel fat. Intermuscular fat was deposited at different rates in the anatomical regions of the carcass.

The development of muscle groups was further examined in three arbitrary phases of the test period and revealed significant differences between phases in the rate at which each muscle group developed. Similar changes in the intensity of the rate at which fat was deposited in the subcutaneous region and between the muscles of the carcass or sites were evident.

Kenana cattle compare favourably with foreign dairy and beef breeds of cattle in muscle:bone ratio. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficiency of meat production from Kenana cattle under different systems of management.

As reported in Part 1 (Gaili & Nour, 1980) a study was conducted to investigate the development of body components in Kenana cattle and to evaluate the potential of the breed for meat production. This paper is an account of the data which were obtained on the development of carcass tissues.

(1) The solubility of the potash in 34 soil samples from 13 soils typical of large areas in the East of Scotland has been determined by the methods of chemical analysis using (a) hot concentrated hydrochloric acid, and (b) 1 per cent, citric acid solution, and the values obtained compared with the quantities of potash existing in the exchangeable form. The total mineral potash has been determined for six samples and Neubauer's method of analysis has been applied to 10 samples and again compared with the exchangeable potash.

(2) The average value of the total mineral potash in the soils examined was 2·04 per cent., which indicates the presence of comparatively large reserves of potash in these soils. No relation was found to exist between the total potash, and the quantities soluble in hot concentrated hydrochloric acid.

(3) The average value of the HCl-soluble potash was 0·50 per cent, and in the profile samples there was generally an increase in solubility with increase in depth of soil.

Measurements were made on 104 carcasses of Holstein or Holstein cross-bred calves in a commercial slaughterhouse and retail butchers in Monterrey, NL. Measurements were: chilled carcass weight, circumference of side, maximum depth of forequarter (three measurements), length of leg, length of side, and length of forearm. Carcasses were cut and the sum of the weights of round, rump, short loin and rib (all bone in) defined as ‘high-priced cuts’. Multiple regressions were computed for linear, semi-allometric and allometric equations using a CDC 3300 computer.

The linear form of the equation accounted for more of the total variance than either the semi-allometric or allometric forms. In all equations cold carcass weight accounted for the greater part of total variance (98·9, 97·1 and 98·2% respectively for the three equations in the order as mentioned above). The incorporation of circumference of side slightly improved the goodness of fit in all cases as did the inclusion of length of side and length of leg in the semi-allometric form. The particularly high proportion of the total variation attributable to cold carcass weight in the present study was probably due to the sparse fat cover of the calves.

The effect of different cutting practices on the carbohydrate root reserves of Finnish red clover was studied. Cutting causes a rapid decrease in the insoluble sugars. The minimum is reached in about 12–15 days, independently of the time of cutting. However, the initial carbohydrate level is reached much more quickly in autumn than in June-July. The carbohydrate content of the roots in autumn is higher the later the second cut.

Cutting does not significantly affect the content of sucrose and other soluble sugars, the values for which are very low during June-August, but rise towards autumn.

1. Methods, buildings and equipment used for milk production in Caernarvonshire, Hertfordshire, Pembrokeshire and Wiltshire have been ascertained by a random sample survey carried out in 1948–9.

2. The results showed marked differences between counties in practically every respect which are summarized in thirty-two tables.

3. The value of this survey and some points in its planning and execution are critically discussed.