Carotene and Riboflavin in Alfalfa

DURING recent years the value of alfalfa meal as a source of carotene and riboflavin has been recognized. This has been particularly true in the case of poultry feeds where quite frequently alfalfa is the chief carrier for carotene (provitamin A). That alfalfa meal can meet the vitamin A requirements of laying hens has been shown by Williams, Lampman, and Bolin (1939) and the need for riboflavin (vitamin B2) in poultry feeds has also been amply demonstrated by Lepkovsky, Taylor, and Almquist (1939), and it is a recognized fact that alfalfa can be a significant source of this vitamin. It is the intention of this paper to review the quality of alfalfa meals on the Kansas market, in 1940, from the standpoint of carotene and riboflavin. To accomplish this, the authors, with the coöperation of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, analyzed 99 samples of alfalfa meal collected during the . . .