Studies on Ruminal Gas Formation and on Consumption of Alfalfa Pasture by Cattle

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Abstract
In an avg. of 4 trials, 4.7 cu. ft. of gas were produced when cows consumed 47.6 lb. of green Sudan tops fed ad libitum over a 4-hr. period as compared to 4.3 cu. ft. when cows consumed an avg. of 15.5 lb. of green alfalfa tops fed ad libitum over a similar period. The amt. of gas formed fol-lowing drenching with glucose or starch was detd. both by feeding cows 20 hrs. before the exptl. period or feeding them with alfalfa tops ad libitum 4 hrs. preceding drenching. In the former instance, glucose caused a more prompt increase in gas formation, whereas the effect of starch was more prolonged [long dash]in the 1st hr. after drenching an avg. of 0.97 cu. ft. were obtained with sugar in 4 trials and an avg. of 0.56 with starch in 3 trials. When the cows were fed green alfalfa tops ad libitum before drenching, no more gas was formed after drenching than before. The consumption of alfalfa pasture by 2 cows on 3 different fields was followed at different stages of maturity of the alfala. The evidence indicates, but is not conclusive, that alfalfa becomes more palatable as it matures up to the early bloom stage.

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