During recent years a growing interest has been manifested by feeders of stock in the form of cooked maize known as flaked maize, which is produced on the industrial scale by the steaming and rolling of maize grain. Following the publication of the results of an investigation into the comparative values of dry, soaked, cooked and flaked maize for pig-feeding, in which investigation the high digestibility and feeding, value of flaked maize were amply demonstrated, frequent enquiries have been received as to whether it is justifiable to assume an equal feeding value for the several brands of flaked maize which are put on the market at the present time.

The performance of four varieties of lucerne, du Puits, Provence, Grimm and S 205, as spaced plants, in broadcast plots and in drills, with and without a companion grass was compared by yield of dry matter, percentage and yield of crude protein, leanness, weediness and reaction to leaf spot (Pseudopeziza medicaginis).

A nutrient indexing survey of the soils and rice crop was conducted on 300 fields of four villages in some floodplain areas of Ludhiana. The soils are, in general, alkaline in reaction, highly calcareous, medium in organic matter and mostly heavy in texture. Soil analysis (DTPA extraction) indicated that about 27% are deficient in available zinc. Leaf analysis indicated the concentration of N, Zn, Cu, Fe and B to be below their critical levels in 27, 25, 93, 39 and 6% of the samples respectively: the low levels of Cu(l–3 μg/g) are considered as a ‘hidden hunger’ as the crop lacked any visual Cudeficiency symptoms.

Correlation studies indicated the absence of any relationship between the micronutrient status of the soils, assessed by DTPA extraction, and leaf content. Consequently leaf analysis is recommended for evaluating the nutritional disorders of lowland rice.

The experiment with two trials was carried out to determine the effect of low and high germination and three seed rates of lucerne on the establishment, mortality, and yield of fodder on heavy soil at Cambridge during 1955–8.

Highly significant differences were obtained between seed rates and germinations in the number of plants established in the year of sowing. The highest number of plants with thin and short tap roots were in a dense crop at 15 lb./acre and 83% of them were unable to survive the first winter. The highest mortality occurred between sowing and the first harvest year, and the heaviest loss of plants was in the lucerne drilled at 15 lb./acre and lowest at 5 lb./acre. Interaction between germination and seed rates was significant at 1% level in the first and at 5% level in the second count only.

The highest differences in yield results were in the first harvest year, when a significantly lower yield was obtained at 5 lb./acre than at 10 or 15 lb./acre, but there was no significant difference in yield between 10 and 15 lb./acre. Lucerne with a high germination at all seed rates gave significantly higher yields than lucerne with a low germination in both trials.

Five selected clones of Lolium perenne were selfed and the ten possible diallel crosses, without reciprocals, made. The progenies were grown in a split-plot design in which whole plots comprised the four nitrogen rates (0, 225, 450 and 675 kg/ha of N) and sub-plots the fifteen progenies, square planted at 0·25 m.

The percentage of the applied nitrogen recovered, and the utilization of the nitrogen by the plant, were measured. Data were collected from four harvests in each of two consecutive years. The diallel was analysed by Griffing's (1956) Method II, Model II.

There were significant effects for nitrogen rates, progenies and their interaction for both ‘recovery’ and ‘utilization’, but years were significantly different for ‘recovery’ only. The effect of applied nitrogen was mainly linear and it was the linear effect of applied nitrogen which interacted most with the progeny effects.

Significant g.c.a. and s.c.a. effects were found but they varied between nitrogen rates and years. For ‘utilization’ the interaction nitrogen rates x g.c.a. was significant on two year means but there was no significance for the nitrogen interaction with s.c.a. The g.c.a. values obtained for both parameters did reveal some trends between the five parents.

The presence of significant additive and non-additive genetic variation is discussed in relation to a plant breeding programme.

An experiment is described which investigated for a period of 12 years the effects of four methods of basic cultivation – ploughing, rotary cultivating, cultivating and discing – on crop yields in a four-course rotation of winter wheat, sugar beet, spring barley followed by either potatoes (on one half of each main plot) or ley (on the other). The cultivations were carried out at two different times and each crop was grown at two levels of fertilizer.

The method of cultivation had no effect on the yield of barley when weeds were controlled by chemicals but, in the absence of such control, the three deeper working methods of cultivation gave higher yields than discing towards the end of the experiment. In the case of wheat, ploughing generally led to the highest yields and rotary cultivating led to higher yields than either cultivating or discing after the ley. Discing led to relatively low yields, particularly with cultural methods of weed control at the lower level of fertility.

With the sugar-beet crop, yields of sugar were higher in all rotations after ploughing than after cultivating or discing, irrespective of the method of weed control and although yields after rotary cultivating were similar to those after ploughing in the second rotation they did not consistently exceed those after cultivating or discing in the other two rotations. With discing, in the absence of chemical weed control the yields were markedly reduced in the last rotation period. Ploughing also led to the highest yields of potatoes but there were no consistent differences between the other methods and an apparent trend to lower yields after discing in the absence of chemical methods of weed control had not reached significance by the end of the experiment.

It was concluded that ploughing was a more reliable method of seedbed preparation, not only with regard to consistency of performance under different conditions but also with regard to depth of working and extent of weed control.

Ploughing appeared to be of particular value with the root crops used but the other methods led to satisfactory yields of the cereals grown after roots.

The effect of previous rotations maintained for 21 years on wheat and potatoes grown after 5 years of uniform cropping are described and discussed. Effects of length of ley in the rotation were detected in soil organic carbon, yield of wheat and yield of potatoes 6, 6 and 7 years respectively after the last ley was ploughed up. The effect of grazing the leys compared with mowing was detected in soil organic carbon and in yield of potatoes, and that of applying dung was detected in soil organic carbon and in yield of potatoes 12 and 13 years, respectively, after the last application.

1. The ventilation of two byres, one of large (1248 cu.ft.) and one of small (567 cu.ft.) cubic capacity per cow, was studied. The CO2 concentration in the atmosphere was used as a measure of the rate of air change and the dry katathermometer to determine the cooling power of the atmosphere. Temperatures and relative humidities were recorded and the actual air movements were studied by using smoke trails. The investigations were made under a variety of weather conditions and with a wide range of outlet and inlet areas.

2. It was shown that the atmospheric conditions in the large byre were almost always superior to those in the small byre, and this was undoubtedly due to the greater cubic space per cow in the large byre. Adequate ventilation was, however, readily attained in the small byre provided the outlet area was sufficiently large.

In an experiment to investigate growth in relation to nitrogen concentration and nitrogen uptake, Proctor was compared with four other varieties of barley at two levels of irrigation and two levels of nitrogen fertilizer by means of weekly samples throughout the growing season. The varieties were Deba Abed, a new variety recommended for high fertility conditions where feeding quality grain is required, and three exotic varieties, chosen for their high concentration of nitrogen in the grain.

Irrigation stimulated tillering, although certain varieties responded more strongly than others; irrigation also led to a higher specific growth rate. Certain of the exotic varieties had high growth rates early in the season but growth fell off earlier due to earlier ear emergence. Maximum leaf area index was greater in the irrigated treatment at the high nitrogen fertilizer level. The adapted varieties had higher maximum leaf area indices than the exotic varieties, although some of the exotics had higher rates of leaf area growth early in the season; there were also differences in the way in which the varieties responded to irrigation. Irrigation and variety both affected the rate at which the percentage nitrogen in the shoot fell with time.

Analysis of these data indicates that nitrogen uptake early in the season was an important factor determining the total amount of nitrogen taken up by the plant. It was also shown that the relative rate of decline of the specific growth rate and the specific rate of nitrogen uptake differed between varieties. Analysis of the specific growth rate indicated that differences in leaf growth, rather than net assimilation rate, led to the varietal differences. The differential response to irrigation is discussed with reference to drought resistance.

The Guadalcanal Plains encompass approximately 460 km2 with both forest and grassland phases. Mean annual rainfall is 2160 mm, with a drier season from June to October, but soil moisture deficits seldom occur. Soils are freely to imperfectly drained brown loam to clays (Ustropepts). Soil analyses show available P concentrations of 15–17 μg/g, adequate K, Cu, Zn and Mn, and high Ca and Mg, but sulphate sulphur is low. A nutrient omission trial gave significant negative responses to the omission of P, K, S and Mo. However, responses to P applications were not obtained in the field with Centrosema pubescens, but significant responses to K and S were found under a cut and remove system. Yield response in the grasses Brachiaria decumbens and B. mutica to applied N was markedly limited in the absence of applied S, even though B. mutica was able to maintain S concentrations in herbage at 2–3 times those of B. decumbens. Without applied S, S contents and N:S ratios in B. decumbens were inadequate for beef cattle, but adequate in B. mutica except at high N inputs (300 kg/ha/year). Application of 40 kg S/ha to the legume C. pubescens increased yields by approximately 50%, reduced incidence of Cercospera leaf spot, and gave increased N concentrations. For establishment of sown mixed pastures on the Guadalcanal Plains we recommend the basal application of 20 kg P/ha, 50 kg K/ha, 30 kg S/ha and 0·15 kg Mo/ha, with 30 kg S/ha applied every 2 years.

Details are given of the fleece and other characteristics of three rams and three ewes of a strain that has lived feral on the island of Boreray in the St Kilda group since 1930.

The animals are horned and short-tailed, the rams are about 60 cm high at the withers and weigh about 45 kg at maturity, while the ewes weigh between 25 and 30 kg and are 55 cm high. The ewes reached their maximum weight after 1 year, but the rams increased in weight during the 3 years under observation.

The fleeces were shorter and finer than those of the modern Blackface, tending to have kemps rather than hairy heterotype fibres. The fleece weight was 1·25 kg, staple length ranged from 75 to 150 mm and mean fibre diameters ranged from 23 to 32 μm.

Variable fleece casting occurred although no more than about 80% of both the primary and secondary follicles became inactive during the winter. Unlike other primitive breeds studied there was a relatively narrow peak of follicle inactivity in midwinter, although in the ewes this tended to occur later in the winter, as observed in improved breeds.

There was a subsidiary small peak of follicle inactivity in August corresponding to the primitive shedding of the summer coat. Maximum fibre medullation occurred in June, and there was a second smaller peak in September.

As in other primitive breeds a relatively high proportion of follicles lacked fibres at birth, but this retardation of development was no longer evident by 14 days when the usual peak in medullation occurred. More fibre shedding was observed at 56 days than in the modern Blackface. The fibre type arrays were of Plateau P1 type.

Three years' data on a herd of Sudanese cattle were used to study the influence of sex and sire on their growth from birth to 1 year of age. The traits studied included body weights at birth, weaning and yearling ages, and body measurements at birth and weaning age. Analysis of variance indicated no significant sex by sire interactions. Male calves had significantly (P < 0.01) heavier birth, weaning and yearling weights and faster pre-weaning average daily gain than female calves. There were no statistically significant differences between sexes in post-weaning gain or body measurements. The sire effects were highly significant (P < 0.01) for birth and yearling weights and postweaning average daily gain, but not for weaning weight and pre-weaning average daily gain. Sire effects were also significant (P < 0.05) for height at withers and heart girth at birth and weaning age and for body length at weaning age. The heritability estimates of birth and yearling weights and post-weaning gain were relatively high, whereas the heritability estimates of weaning weight and pre-weaning gain were low.

The yields of four tropical grass/legume pasture mixtures were studied over a 4-year period. These mixtures had the following composition: H, Cynodon nlemfuensis var. robustus, together with the legumes Centrosema pubescens (Benth.), and Stylosanthes gracilis (H.B.K.); J, Pennisetum purpureum (Schum.) plus the two legumes in H; K, treatment J mixture plus Panicum maximum (Jacq.); and L, a mixture of treatments H, J and K. Each treatment paddock was grazed in rotation between 19 April 1966 and 21 November 1969.

The mean annual dry-matter yields over the 4 years of grazing were approximately 37 ± 5·7, 41 ± 2·6, 44 ± 10·2 and 47 ± 8·7 t/ha for treatments H, J, K and L respectively. The overall mean for the four treatments was 42 ± 5·1 t/ha/annum.

It was observed that the dry-matter yield of the three mixtures in J, K and L, containing the tall grass species, was significantly superior to that of treatment H; however, they were not statistically different among themselves.

After the second year of grazing Stylosanthes gracilis diminished gradually and it was almost absent from the swards by the final year of grazing, while Centrosema pubescens maintained its stand throughout the experimental period.

With the exception of phosphorus and sodium, levels of mineral elements in the pastures were above the recommended allowances for various classes of livestock.

The average level of zinc was only slightly below the recommended value.

The systemic fungicide benomyl was used as a seed dressing and as a spray at two concentrations, 250 and 500 ppm, on the winter barley variety Pella. An additional treatment was a spray application of CCC at 500 ppm. All spray treatments were applied at growth stage 3–4. Without fungicide treatment, total yield in the inoculated plots was approximately 40% of that in the uninoculated plots. The 500 ppm fungicide-spray treatment significantly decreased incidence and severity scores of eyespot, the seed dressing being significant only for the latter. The seed dressing and 500 ppm spray treatments significantly increased mean yield/head, fertile tiller number and 1000 grain weight. All the fungicide treatments significantly increased total yield in the inoculated plots. There were no significant effects of CCC upon disease or upon yield, neither was there any interaction between benomyl and CCC.

Two dwarf pigeon pea cultivars, each at two spacings, were planted at 4-weekly intervals over a year. Differences in height and number of branches between cultivars and spacings were generally small but planting date had much greater effects. Heights at reaping were > 2 m in plantings made in March or April, but decreased with later planting to ca. 1 m in November–February plantings. Time from planting to reaping varied from ca. 120 days in September-February plantings to > 225 days in March or April plantings. Four of the 13 plantings showed loss of mainstem dominance. Defoliation by rust disease showed no seasonal pattern, nor any association with yield. March plantings showed a ‘preliminary’ flowering in which only some wide-spaced and perimeter plants flowered in late July. Yields varied from 0–5 to 10 t/ha as green pods, but one cultivar at a spacing of 0·45 × 0·45 m (49385/ha) gave a mean yield of ca. 5 ±0·57 t/ha. Late-May planting appeared the most efficient, giving a large number of pods per day, per flowering branch and per metre of height, but plants exceeded 2 m in height and took 200 days from planting to reaping. December or January planting gave smaller plants, taking ca. 125 days from planting to reaping. Day-length was a dominant factor influencing growth and yield, but part of this may have been a response to radiation rather than to photoperiod.

Data from 692 daughters of 38 Red Danish bulls, tested as heifers in the Danish cattle progeny testing stations 1963–64, were analysed to provide information on the efficiency of feed utilization by dairy cows. The results showed that because of, the feeding system adopted, efficiency measured as FCM per food unit was automatically closely related to FCM yield.

Analysis based on pooled, within-bull, values showed that (a) both efficiency and FCM were negatively associated with body-weight gain during lactation, suggesting that feed allowances per unit FCM were low in relation to those for maintenance, (b) weight measured after calving was positively associated with efficiency and FCM yield whereas the association of these latter variables with weight at the end of the winter period was negative, and (c) the gain in weight during lactation was much lower in cows heavy at calving and higher in those heavy at the end of the winter.

The between-bull correlations, although less reliable than the within-bull values, clearly indicated that the selection for FCM yield would result in increased cow weight.

It is suggested that the selection of dairy cattle should not be based solely on milk yield but that suitable adjustments should be made so that selection for efficiency is safeguarded. Quantitative assessment of such adjustments would necessitate changing feeding procedures at central testing stations.

Two semi-dwarf and two conventional height European spring wheat varieties were grown at different sowing dates and sowing rates in two dry years. Yield component analysis showed the varieties to fall into three groups. The conventional height varieties were dependent for grain yield on either a high number of ears or a large number of spikelets per ear whereas the semi-dwarfs were dependent on high spikelet fertility.

The semi-dwarfs were consistently higher yielding over a range of environmental conditions than the conventional height varieties. Maintenance of high yield was associated with high spikelet fertility and 1000-grain weight, characters determined late in development. It is suggested that the change to the semi-dwarf plant type has resulted in high yields with greater consistency over a range of environmental conditions particularly when dry.

DNA and protein concentrations were measured in selected muscles from foetal and neonatal pigs; the protein: DNA ratios of hind-limb muscles were similar to those of the forelimb from 83 days gestation to 27 days after birth. The ratios increased during the perinatal period, providing evidence that maturation of muscle began in the last few days of pregnancy. RNA concentration, cathepsin D activity and tritiated thymidine incorporation were measured in muscles from the neonatal animals and the results indicated a surge of biosynthetic activity in the first days of life. Values obtained from the hind- and forelimb muscles were similar throughout the period of study with RNA: DNA ratio, cathepsin D activity and thymidine incorporation reaching maximum values at 4 days of age. A considerable proportion of thymidine incorporation was attributed to the mitotic activity of satellite cells.

A simple technique to evaluate accurately the effect of mechanical stress on root growth has been developed. The roots are allowed to grow against a predetermined pressure in the chamber of a pressure-plate apparatus. The root growth was studied against the applied pressures of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 bar. A relationship of the form Y = aXb was observed between the rate of root elongation (Y) and applied pressure (X).