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Three series of digestion trials with 4 grade Hereford steers 2 to 3 years of age were used in measuring the influence of alfalfa hay and fractions of alfalfa hay upon corncob digestion. Corncob digestion was improved progressively with four respective additions of alfalfa hay. A water extract of dehydrated alfalfa meal or the ash of the alfalfa meal fed at the rate equivalent to 4 pounds meal daily per steer improved corncob digestion materially. The results are interpreted to indicate the presence of inorganic nutrients in good quality alfalfa hay or meal which are essential to rumen microorganisms involved directly in roughage digestion. These findings were discussed with respect to their importance in roughage utilization and livestock production.
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Burroughs et al. (1950) studied this question.
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