HCN contents in hybrid sorghum at the various stages, in each leaf blade and in each leaf blade and in each internode of the plant were determined. 1. The HCN contents both in the 1st cutting and in the 2nd cutting were very high at the earlier stages, and they decreased gradually with advancing growth. And the 2nd cutting contained more HCN content than the 1st cutting. 2. The HCN contents both in each leaf blade and in each internode were higher in the upper than in the lower, but at the vegetative stage, the upper leaf blades, which were undergrown, were lower in HCN content than the lower good-developed ones. 3. In the cases of storing the plant in a refrigerator and exposure to the sun and in the shade, the HCN contents decreased by 2%, 4% and 12%, respectively. When the plant was dried in a forced air dryer or ensiled, the HCN contents decreased by 55%, 98%, respectively. When the plant was treated with 1N or 0.1N acid solutions, the HCN contents extremely decreased. 4. HCN poisoning in the animal is influenced by potential HCN content in the plant, voluntary intake of the plant forage and the time which is required to eat it. If the ingestion of the plant, which is harvested at 80cm in height (1000ppm on a dry matter basis), is relatively slow, feeding about 7.5kg of dry matter to a cow of 500kg in weight, which is equivalent to about 60kg of fresh forage, may be safe.

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1. While the fractions of the chemical compositions assimilated by producing plants are decayed by decomposers, much of these are accumulated in dead organic matter until decayed by decomposers, at rates which vary greatly from place to place. The general differential equation for the rate of change in dead organic matter storage is illustrated by models for builtup and decomposition of organic matter. In order to elucidate energy and nutrient flow through the decay system in the Sasa paniculata type grassland in Kamishihoro, these models are applied. 2. In the case of decomposition for organic compositions on the grassland floor, the F layer is clearly dominant, while the H layer is dominant in the grassland floor in terms of mineral nutrient standing states. 3. The increasing order of decay rate parameters for organic chemical compositions in the litter is crude protein, lignin, other carbohydrate, hot water soluble fractions, cold water soluble fractions, crude fat and pure cellulose and turnover rate parameters for energy and mineral nutrient elements is K, energy, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Ca, Na, N, Mg, Mn, P and Fe. Generally, turnover rate parameters for mineral nutrient elements in the litter are less than decay rate parameters for organic compositions. 4. The time periods required for decomposition or turnover of 50% of initial organic matter, organic C, energy, cold water soluble fractions, hot water soluble fractions, crude protein, crude fat, pure cellulose, lignin, other carbohydrate, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Co and Ni and to reach 50% of their steady state levels of accumulation on the Sasa paniculata type grassland in Naitai Grassland in Kamishihoro are 5.07, 5.01, 5.03, 3.04, 4.61, 12.58, 2.91, 2.49, 8.11, 5.69, 12.58, 16.19, 4.93, 9.82, 13.33, 11.95, 25.29, 14.90, 9. 19, 8.42, 6.00 and 5.55 years respectively. 5. Quantities of annual cycles of C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Co and Ni are 187.53, 2.129, 0.095, 0.776, 0.301, 0.069, 0.281, 6.1・10^<-3>, 14.8・10^<-3>, 9.5・10^<-3>, 0.95・10^<-3>, 0.23・10^<-3> and 0.46・10^<-3>g/m^2 respectively.

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For the purpose of investigating the effects of the additive containing sodium nitrite and calcium formate on the quality and keeping property of silage, following three experiments were carried out using each three or four Italian ryegrass samples of different growth stages. In the experiment I, the grass samples were ensiled at three levels of compaction of 600, 450 or 300kg/m^3 with and without the additive and the effect of the additive on the quality of silage ensiled at varying levels of compaction was studied. In the experiment II, the grass samples were preliminarily chopped or unchopped and ensiled with and without the additive and the effect of the additive for improving the quality of unchopped silage was compared with that for the chopped one. In the experiment III, the grass samples were ensiled with 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0. 3 or 0.5% of the additive respectively, and the one of three groups similarly treated was stored for 6 weeks, the second group was stored for 6 months under unfavourable circumstances and the third group was aerated for 15 minutes a day during 2 weeks after 6 week's ordinal preservation, and the effect of the additive on the keeping property of silage was studied by comparing the silage quality of the first group with that of the second group and the preventing effect of the additive on the deterioration of silage after opening the silo was examined by comparing the silage quality of the first group with that of the third group. The results are summarized as follows ; 1. The additive improved the quality of silage ensiled only at a high level of compaction with a very low water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) grass. With a medium WSC grass the quality of silage was improved at every level of compaction and with a high WSC grass it was improved especially at a low level of compaction by addition of the additive. 2. The additive could scarcely improve the quality of uuchopped silage, and it was observed that the chopping was rather effective for improving the quality of silage. 3. Both the keeping property of silage quality and the preventing effect of deterioration of silage after opening the silo were not observed at as much as 0.5% addition of the additive with a very low WSC grass. But these beneficial effects were observed at 0.3〜0.5 % addition of the additive with a medium WSC grass and at 0.1〜0.2% addition of it with a high WSC grass respectively.

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Effects of the additive containing sodium nitrite and calcium formate on the acceptability and digestibility of silage were examined. Italian ryegrass silages with and without the additive were prepared and six Japanese saanen castrated male goats were fed ad libitum silage in a double reversal design experiment. Then followed the digestion trial in a total collection method. The results are summarized as follows ; 1. Larger amounts of flesh and dry matter were recovered from the silage with the additive than from the one without the additive. Losses due to spoilage were less in the silage with the additive than in the one without the additive. 2. Quality of the silage with the additive was exceedingly higher than that of the one without the additive. 3. Significantly larger amounts of dry matter were consumed from the silage with the additive than from the one without the additive. 4. Digestibilities of dry matter, crude protein, N.F.E. and crude fiber were significantly higher for the silage with the additive than for the one without the additive.

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The interrelation between the level of initial air inclusion at ensiling, the trends of exudation and disappearance of water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and the level of lactic acid production during the early stage of ensilage was studied in connection with the effect of initial air inclusion on quality of silage. In the experiment I, four ensiling trials similarly designed were carried out using four Italian ryegrass samples of different growth stages. In each trial the grass sample was cut into 6mm, 20mm or 60mm length and ensiled in a small laboratory silo of 2 liter capacity at three levels of initial air inclusion of low, middle or high in each cutting. The WSC contents of effluents on 2 hours after ensiling and pH, organic acids and ratios of ammoniacal nitrogen to total nitrogen in silages on 35th day after ensiling were determined. In the experiment II, two Italian ryegrass samples were ensiled in the same way as the experiment I , and the WSC and lactic acid contents were traced until 35 days after ensiling. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Large amounts of WSC were exuded into effluents on 2 hours after ensiling in case of ensiling a high WSC grass cut into a short length at a low level of initial air inclusion. 2. The higher the WSC in effluents was on 2 hours after ensiling, the more the WSC disappeared and the more the lactic acid was produced during the early stage of ensilage (until 35 days after ensiling) in case of ensiling medium to high WSC grasses. But this trend was observed only during the very early stage of ensilage (until 7 days after ensiling) with a very low WSC grass. 3. From these results it was confirmed that in ensiling medium to high. WSC grasses, there was a close relation between the level of initial air inclusion at ensiling, the level of WSC exuded into effluents immediately after ensiling and the amounts of WSC disappeared and lactic acid produced during the early stage of ensilage.

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Steroidal components of white clover leaves were examined by thin-layer chromatography, and the behavior on chromatoplates suggested that free sterols, esterified sterols, steryl glucosides, and acylated steryl glucosides were present in the acetone-extract of the material. An unknown spot showing steroidal nature was found, although it has not been identified yet. These five forms were separated by Florisil column chromatography, and the quantity of each form was determined: Free sterols, 54.2% ; esterified sterols, 33.1%; acylated steryl glucosides, 7.6% ; steryl glucosides, 3.4% ; an unknown form, 1.7%. The sterol content of the leaves of various plants was estimated for the samples prepared from the unsaponifiable fraction by use of thin-layer chromatography and tomatinide formation. The amount of sterols was almost equal among the plants examined (sterols/dry matter, 0.08-0.11%) with the exception of oat grass (0.05%). The sterol fraction of various plants was analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography, and the results showed that the sterol pattern varies with the plants. In most of the plants analyzed, β-sitosterol was tentatively identified as the major sterol.

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Three kinds of legume, alfalfa, red clover, ladino clover and Italian ryegrass were used in this experiment. All legume were harvested at full bloom of the 1st growing and Italian ryegrass was harvested at heading stage of the 2nd growing. Ethyl ether extract of alfalfa, red clover, ladino clover and Italian ryegrass were added to the estrogen-free basal diet at the rate of 18, 18, 28 and 13mg per one gram diet, respectively. In this case, the amount of each extract was equivalent to 0.66 gram herbage dry matter. Each experimental group was formed of five hamsters and they were fed on one of these experimental diets for 60 days. The animals were weighed and the amount of feed consumed in each group was recorded every five days. Body weight gains of these herbage extract groups, alfalfa, red clover, ladino clover and Italian ryegrass, were 46, 31, 27 and 49 percent more larger than the control group and feed efficiencies of these experimental groups were, 28, 6, 10 and 18 percent higher than that of the control group, respectively. Growth promoting effect of these experimental diets were apparently owing to the estrogenic substances in these herbage, but correlation between estrogenic activity and growth promoting effect of the diet was indistinct.

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The 1st, 2nd and 3rd growing of alfalfa were harvested at full bloom stage and the 4th growing was harvested at vegetative stage. Ethyl ether extract of each alfalfa cutting was added to the estrogen-free basal diet and growth promoting effect on the golden hamster was examined. In this case, the amount of each extract per gram of diet was equivalent to 0.66 gram alfalfa dry matter and estrogenic potencies of these experimental diets were 18.5, 11.2, 2.6 and 5.3μg DES/kg diet, respectively. Each experimental group was formed of five young spayed hamsters and they were fed on one of these experimental diets for 60 days. Body weight gains of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th cutting group were 46, 25, 34 and 30 percent larger than the control group, and feed efficiencies of these experimental groups were 28, 9, 9 and 5 percent better than that of the control group, respectively. Seasonal variation of estrogenic activity of alfalfa did not agree with that of growth promoting effect on the golden hamster.

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