On the College of Agriculture farm in Abu-Ghraib 147 ejaculates were collected from three docked and four normal Awassi rams born during November 1962. The work covered a period from 1 April 1967 to 31 March 1968.

Nine semen characters, namely, volume, mass activity, individual motility, sperm concentration, sperm number, pH, methylene blue reduction time and the percentages of abnormal and dead sperms, were studied. The effect of season and docking on these characters was investigated.

Seasonal variation was observed in all traits studied. On the whole, semen quality was poorest during winter and best during summer. The effect of docking was more pronounced on sperm concentration, sperm number and percentage of abnormal sperms. Docking appeared to increase sperm production and reduce sperm abnormality.

Red clover florets are generally longer than a honey bee's tongue. Original data are submitted showing that honey bees can reach to a depth of 7 mm into the corolla tube of a red clover floret. The importance of this figure is discussed in relation to breeding bees with longer tongues and the breeding of red clover with shorter corolla tubes. Breeding a variety of red clover with more nectar so that honey bees can reach it is considered to be the best solution and would produce an increase in yield of both seed and honey.

A traditional type score card for ten carcass characteristics was tested against an experimental reorganization of this card on a simplified 7 point scaling system. Results showed that both experienced judges and novices were more consistently discriminating when using the revised system. This was most evident when the concept of an optimum was eliminated from the judgements. It was also evident when complex judgements which do not involve an optimum were simplified. The scale of marks and the diversity in maximum marks for different characteristics appeared to have less influence upon consistency and discrimination. However, it is probable that, with traditional cards, the maximum marks are often too high and that the diversity in total possible marks adds a further difficulty for judges.

Plasma volume, haematocrit, and haemoglobin concentration were measured in 34 sows. Red cell volume and total blood volume were calculated from plasma volume and haematocrit.

The method of back extrapolation of the logarith of Evans blue concentration to zero time possibly overestimated plasma volume. Haematocrit was found to be higher and more variable in the initial blood samples in each experiment, than in the blood samples taken 30 and 60 min later.

In animals of the same parity, plasma and red cell volumes were closely related to live weight, but the relationship varied between parities.

Estimates of endogenous loss of calcium have been obtained from balance studies with growing lambs and adult sheep given diets containing deficient and adequate amounts of calcium and phosphorus. The values were generally lower than those obtained for sheep by methods employing radioactive calcium and it was concluded that the endogenous loss by sheep is considerably less than the figure used by the Agricultural Research Council (1965) and is probably of the same order as that of cattle (16 mg/day kg live weight).