Freshly harvested Italian ryegrass was disintegrated with a herbage crusher and pressed out green juice (GJ) with a screw press. The GJ was used as a protein supplement source for rice straw (RS). Rice straw was mixed with intact GJ (GJ・RS) and with NaOH or NH_3 (4% of RS dry matter) treated GJ (GJ・NaOH・RS or GJ・NH_3・RS) at 3:7 ratio on fresh weight basis and ensiled into polyethylene bags. Rice straw ensiled with water was also prepared as the control (W・RS). Crude protein content of RS was increased from 5.0 to 7.9% in dry matter basis by mixing intact or NaOH treated GJ and further increased to over 25% by NH_3 treated GJ. The control W・RS silage contained a trace amount of lactic acid and showed a butyrate type fermentation. The addition of intact GJ to RS significantly increased the lactic acid content, and reduced the butyric acid content, NH_3-N/TN and the pH value of the silage. In contrast to this, the addition of NaOH or NH_3 treated GJ increased the pH value, the butyric acid content and NH_3-N/TN of the silage, and GJ・NH_3・RS silage showed the lowest chemical quality. In the feeding trial, four castrated male goats were allocated in a 4×4 Latin-square and fed the 3:1 (DM basis) mixed ration of RS silage and wheat bran. Besides them, urea was supplemented to W・RS silage at the time of feeding to adjust the nitrogen intake except for that from NH_3 treated silage. The addition of intact GJ to RS at ensiling had little advantage to feeding urea with W・RS silage in respect to nutrient digestibilities but slightly improved nitrogen balance of goats. Compared with goats fed W・RS and GJ・RS silages, those fed GJ・NaOH・RS silage showed significantly higher fiber digestibilities, less urinary nitrogen excretion and more nitrogen retention with the reduction of ruminal NH_3-N and blood urea nitrogen concentrations. The goats fed GJ・NH_3・RS silage showed the highest nutrient digestibilities and nitrogen retention. These results suggest that the alkali treatments increased energy supply from fiber and consequently increased nitrogen uptake of rumen microbes. The disadvantage of feeding GJ・NaOH・RS compared with GJ・NH_3・RS was probably due to the insufficient nitrogen supply to rumen microbes for the maximum fiber digestion and protein synthesis.

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This experiment was undertaken to clarify the possibility of sesbania as feeds. Chemical compositions of sesbania at several growing stages were analyzed. Sesbania was ensiled with corn at the rates of 0, 25, 50 and 75% on wet weight basis. Fermentation acid contents were analyzed, and the pH value, dry matter intake and digestibility by goats were measured. The results were summarized as follows: The content of organic cell wall (OCW) increased and organic cellular contents (OCC), ether extract (EE) and crude protein (CP) inversely decreased with advancing maturity. The mixed silages were good quality, though lactic acid decreased, acetic acid increased and pH value was elevated with increasing amount of sesbania. The daily dry matter intakes were 25.9, 32.7, 40.1 and 47.0 g/body weight^<0.75>kg for 0, 25, 50 and 75% sesbania mixed silages, respectively. The digestibility of organic matter (OM), nitrogen free extract (NFE) and crude fiber (CF) decreased and inversely CP and EE increased with increasing amount of sesbania. It was, therefore, suggested that sesbania will be new promising feed resources.

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We evaluated the productivity, wet endurance, adaptability to waterlogging of phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides L. URB.) by comparing with forage soybean (Glycine max L. MERR.) and the possibility of introduction of phasey bean to upland field converted from paddy. Dry matter yield, nitrogen fixation ability of phasey bean grown in flooded (wet) paddy field (pF=0) were higher than in normally drained (dry) paddy field (pF=1.2) at the later stage (90 days after seeding), while these values of soybean in dry paddy field were higher than in wet paddy field. We measured the percentage of intercellular spaces in the root to estimate wet endurance and ability of adaptation to waterlogging. These values of phasey bean in each part of root were higher than those of soybean. The proportion of intercellular spaces of phasey bean increased in wet paddy field. But this tendency was not shown in soybean. Plant weight of phasey bean grown in nitrogen free solution culture was not so influenced by low dissolved oxygen (1.2 mg/l O_2), as compared with soybean. Both species required high dissolved oxygen (7.5 mg/l O_2) in nitrogen containing solution.

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Iron and manganese concentrations in soils and grasses were examined in the Eastern Hidaka District. The results are as follows: 1. The average values of Fe and Mn concentrations were approximately 40 ppm in timothy. There was a small deviation in iron concentrations among the grass samples. Fe concentration in most samples was over 30 ppm. There was a large deviation in Mn concentration. One third of the samples contained Mn less that 20 ppm. 2. The Mn concentration in timothy had no correlation with the total Mn in soils, but a high correlation with the exchangeable Mn in soils. 3. There was no correlation between the total Mn and the exchangeable Mn. However the exchangeable Mn was decreased proportionally with the increasing soil pH, and it was in direct proportion to the soluble Fe concentration which was extracted with 1-N ammonium acetate of pH 4.0. 4. The average value of the total Mn concentration in Andosols and Brown Forest soils was lower than that of Residual Regosols. The value in Brown Lowland soils and Gray Lowland soils was higher than that of Gley soils and Peat soils. 5. From the results, it was found that Mn concentrations in timothy were relatively high in soils of low pH and in the soils of reduced condition. There soils, however, were characterized by low total Mn content due to leaching loss of readily soluble Mn in soils.

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A new labor-saving method for obtaining accurate and precise estimates of herbaceous biomass in pastures by visual observation was developed based on the results showing that the spatial pattern of herbaceous biomass per unit area (quadrat) follows a gamma distribution. Procedures are basically as follows : set quadrats at n random sites in the pasture, and divide the quadrats into the following 3 classes by visual observation : (1) a class in which herbaceous biomass is less than c_1g, (2) a class in which herbaceous biomass is more than c_1g and less than c_2g and (3) a class in which biomass is more than c_2g. From the number of quadrats belonging to each of these 3 classes, the herbaceous biomass per unit area can be calculated on the assumption that the spatial pattern of herbaceous biomass follows a gamma distribution.

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In this paper, growth damage of bermudagrass by bermudagrass stem maggot (Atherigona reversura) and varietal differences of six bermudagrass varieties in parasitic shoot ratio caused by this insect are reported. 1. Bermudagrass stem maggot, belonged to Muscidae is a noxious insect, which is parasitic on and greatly damages bermudagrass. Its larva attacks the growing points of tiller buds, of which maximum 70 to 90% are damaged in August in Miyazaki area in case of Coastal bermudagrass. 2. There observed a clear difference in parasitic shoot ratio caused by bermudagrass stem maggot among varieties ; parasitic shoot ration in three varieties, Coastal, Midland and Tifton 68 showed no more than 10 to 30%. 3. Varietal differences in parasitic shoot ratio caused by bermudagrass stem maggot seemed to relate closely with shoot density and thickness of each shoot ; the less shoot density and more thickness, the lower parasitic shoot ratio was obtained. Since there was a positive relationship between shoot density and relative humidity in the canopy, it was assumed that this relative humidity in the canopy affected number of laying eggs, as well as their hatching percentage of bermudagrass stem maggot.

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Microflora, specifically lactic acid bacteria on fresh forage crops and grasses is an important factor to obtain good fermentation silage. The effects of altitude and seasonal changes in microflora on forage crops and grasses with special reference to lactic acid bacteria were studied with 256 samples of 28 species of forage crops and grasses from 3 locations in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. Lactic acid bacteria were recovered from all the samples collected. Lactobacilli were obtained lower frequency, 88 percent of the total samples gave plate counts, ranging from 0 to 10^3/g of fresh material and lactobacilli were recovered from 76 percent or the total samples. Streptococci were recovered from all the samples collected and 94 percent of them showed greater abundance with plates counts ranging from 10^3 to 10^5/g fresh material. Lactobacilli and streptococci increased in the order of summer, autumn, spring and winter. Generally, aerobic and mold plate counts ranged from 10^4 to 10^6/g, to 10^3 to 10^4/g of fresh material, respectively. The maximum count of aerobic bacteria was 10^<8.4>/g, and mold was 10^<7.2>/g. Yeast mainly gave plate counts ranging from 0 to 10^3/g of fresh material, throughout the seasons, and the maximum count observed was 10^<5.6>/g. However, 20 percent of the total samples did not give any yeast recovery. Aerobic bacteria, mold and yeast showed the same tendency in the seasonal changes as lactic acid bacteria. High numbers of lactic acid bacteria were obtained from the forage crops and grasses which were growing in a field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University (50m a.s.l) which is in the vicinity of dense population. This was followed by forage crops in a dairy framer's field (170-180m a.s.l). Low numbers of lactic acid bacteria were detected on grasses in a pasture of Shikoku Karst (1250-1350m a.s.l).

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The objective of this study is to compare the differences in the chemical composition and the breakdown of nitrogenous compounds during ensilage between tropical and temperate species treated with and without glucose and formic acid. For this purpose Italian ryegrass (IRG : DM 15.3%, WSC 14.7% DM) and Rhodesgrass (RG ; DM 18.3%, WSC 4.1% DM) were ensiled directly, and after addition with glucose (2.0 and 4.0%) and formic acid (0.3 and 0.6%), fresh basis, respectively. The addition of glucose produced good quality silages with lactic acid of 4.4-7.5% DM and pH value of 3.9-4.1 in both species and treatments. But there was no effect of formic acid on the quality of RG silage. It would appear that an amount above 0.6% of formic acid, fresh basis, must be needed to promote the effect on the fermentation of RG silages with high moisture conditions. While the large decrease in total amino acids and increase in the free amino acid contents in both species occurred during the ensilage, the free amino acids was lower considerably in RG silage treated with formic acid 0.6% as against other treatments. The degradation of individual amino acid between species had a tendency for RG silages to be higher in amounts of loss and to be lower in free amino acid contents than IRG silages. These changes were also affected by the treatments in both species. In particular, the more extensive degradation was found in most of the amino acids of RG silage to be no effect of formic acid 0.6%. As in IRG, considerable amounts of Arg and Glu were also catabolised in lactate silage of RG. The concentration of VBN in each silage was affected by the extent of degradation of the free amino acids. But it cannot be clarified that the degradation of these free amino acids was related to the characteristic of which more extensive changes in the nitrogenous components occur during the fermentation of RG than IRG.

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The information from the cattle behavior of grazing out of fence are important to design the fence materials and structure. The tension and the load which cattle pushing against the barbed wire at the grazing out of fence were measured in two experiments. First experiment was carried out under 4 m and 6 m post-spacing with four grazing beef cattle below the barbed wire of 40 cm height. Second experiment was also carried out under 4 m post-spacing with three grazing beef cows below or over the barbed wire of 40 cm height after one- and two-fasting days. In 6 m post-spacing maximum wire tension was 177.4 kgf, while in the conventional 4 m post-spacing it was conjectured over 200 kgf. When the cattle grazed out of fence, the rusted barbed wire was broken easily in case of the conventional fence. The cattle behavior indicated that the cattle pushing load are smaller as the post-spacing became wider, because the barbed wire tensions in 4 m post-spacing were 1.24-1.33 times as much as 6 m post-spacing. The metallic parts hanging the barbed wire on posts needed the load between 30-40 kgf, two or three times maximum vertical load of cattle pushing at the wire. At the time of grazing out of fence, furthermore, the Japanese Black Cattle, have a keener response in pushing up the fence wire with a larger percentage of body weight than the Japanese Shorthorn. When cattle grazed out of fence, the difference in pushing between one-day fasted and two-days fasted cattle in term of wire tension and the load of cattle was significantly different at 5% level. Since the loads of two-days fasted cattle were about two times as much as one-day fasted ones, there was a possibility that cattle would escape from the fence if the grass on pasture became extremely in sufficiont from heavy grazing. From the cattle behavior, the grazing out of fence was observed as preliminary behavior of escaping from fence.

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The availability of the nitrogen reserved at the different times was investigated at the early stage of the regrowth of defoliated orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). ^<15>N-ammonium nitrate was fed for each 1 week from 3 to 2 week before cutting : treatment (I), 2 to 1 week before cutting : (II), 1 week before cutting : (III), 1 week after cutting : (IV) and (V). Nitrogen concentration in cultural solution was 40 ppm for treatment (I) to (IV) over experimental period, and for treatment (V) which was 20 ppm until cutting and switched to 40ppm during regrowth. During the first 7 days of regrowth following cutting, nitrogen contents in reserve tissues (stubble and root) distinctly decreased in treatment (I) to (IV) of N : 40 ppm and the mobilization of reserved nitrogen to regrowth tissue was assumed, but in treatment (V) in which nitrogen levels in reserve tissues was low, the accumulation of newly absorved nitrogen was showed. By the feeding of ^<15>N-ammonium nitrate for 1 week, ^<15>N-nitrogen labeled 25 to 30% total nitrogen in reserve tissues, 32 to 35 in stubble and 11 to 22% in root at any time. The percentage of utilization of reserved nitrogen in regrowing tissue was varied with times of reserving the nitrogen, such as 28.8% for (I), 33.7% for (II), 45.7% for (III). Thus an availability of reserved nitrogen increases with coming close of reserving to cutting time. The newly absorved nitrogen increased by swiching low to high nitrogen media, and consequently the dependence on reserved nitrogen in regrowing tissues went down. But about 50-60% of nitrogen in new tissues regrown for 1 week come from the nitrogen reserved in stubble and root befor cutting (IV and V).

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Allelopathic interaction between Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L. was studied using a root exudate recirculating system, in which nutrient solution passed through the rhizosphere of one species and then into contact with the rhizosphere of a second species. This system maintained an undisturbed rhizosphere and eliminated competition and physical contact between the Lolium and Trifolium plants grown in replacement series mixture. Assessment of response to hydrophobic root exudates was also made possible by removal of hydrophobic compounds from the recirculationg solution using an Amberlite XAD-4 resin column. The results obtained are summarized as follows : 1. Without XAD-4 resin column, growth of Trifolium repens was apparently inhibited by associating with Lolium perenne, showing the greater inhibition at the higher proprotion of Lolium in mixture. 2. The use of XAD-4 resin provided a benefit effect in stimulating the plant growths of both species either in mono or in mixed cultures. This stimuratory effect was markedly obserbed in Trifolium plants grown in association with Lolium perenne. 3. Lolium perenne represented an auto inhibitory characteristics in the monoculture, in which plants were stunted and the leaves appeared yellowish. However, no signs of such symptoms were found on the Lolium plants growing in the mixture of Trifolium or with the presense of XAD-4 resin. 4. The removal of detrimental effect of Lolium perenne on Trifolium repens through the use of XAD-4 resin implicates such a possible allelopathic mechanism in the interference of Trifolium repens by Lolium perenne that involves the exudation of hydrophobic allelochemics from the root of Lolium plants.

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