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Two experiments designed to study the protein requirements of pregnant ewes are reported. Six lots of twenty ewes each were included in each experiment. In the first experiment rations which contained approximately 7, 10, and 13 percent total crude protein were compared and in the second rations containing 5, 8, and 11 percent protein.No statistically significant differences were found between the various rations in fleece weight, birth weight of lambs, or weight of lambs at thirty days of age. Some trends were noted, however, in that the ewes fed the lowest levels of nitrogen tended to shear lighter fleeces and their twin lambs weighed slightly less at thirty days.The death loss of ewes was somewhat higher on the low-protein rations. The low nitrogen intake may have been a predisposing factor in a number of these deaths.Nitrogen balance experiments showed no significant differences in nitrogen retention between the three levels of nitrogen intake during early and mid gestation. In late pregnancy the ewes fed the higher levels of nitrogen retained significantly larger amounts.A highly significant correlation (r=0.69) was found to exist between nitrogen retention and digestible dry matter intake. Covariance analysis showed that, at the levels fed in these investigations, the amount of nitrogen stored was influenced more by the amount of dry matter digested than by the amount of nitrogen fed.The results obtained indicate that present recommendations with respect to amounts of crude protein for pregnant ewes may be decreased when the rations fed are adequate in other nutrients.

The results of four experiments are presented. There were no consistent differences in lamb production from ewes fed rations approximately equal in total digestible nutrients but which varied from 6.8 to 11.0 percent total protein. There were no apparent differences in production between ewes fed linseed meal or dried skimmilk as a protein supplement to a grass hay, shelled corn ration.Pregnant Shropshire ewes averaging 135 pounds in body weight remained in positive nitrogen balance, made satisfactory gains and gave birth to thrifty lambs when fed an average of 0.10 pound digestible protein per ewe daily. No improvement in utilization of protein or production was noted from the addition of 0.10 percent DL methionine.Further work is needed relative to the protein requirements of pregnant ewes.

A total of 992 blood samples of pregnant ewes fed various kinds and amounts of protein were analyzed for oxyhemoglobin, total serum proteins, serum albumins and serum globulins. Considerable variation was found in these constituents between individual sheep and between bi-weekly samples from the same ewe.Ewes fed rations low in protein had lower serum albumins than those fed a liberal or adequate amount of protein. Low protein rations also caused a reduction in oxyhemoglobin. Serum globulins were not affected by the rations fed.When fed at an equal level of protein there were no differences in blood proteins between ewes fed linseed meal and those fed dried skim milk as the protein supplement.Ewes with high oxyhemoglobin levels tended to have high serum albumins and low serum globulins. In these experiments serum globulins predominated over serum albumins. The oxyhemoglobin, total serum protein and serum globulin levels of individual ewes were highly correlated between years.

Within recent months we have had an opportunity to observe two separate cases of dogs having severe parotitis. In each case the glands were swollen and tender to pressure. From both animals a virus was isolated from the saliva. In one case a sequence of serum specimens were positive for mumps virus by complement-fixation tests.The susceptibility of monkeys for the mumps virus upon direct parotid gland inoculation or cannulation of Stensen's duct is well documented.1,2 However, the occurrence of mumps virus in other animals is not definite or not considered too probable. Wollstein3 conducted experiments in 1916 in the transmission of mumps from humans to the domestic cat. Her findings showed that the cat, upon direct inoculation into the parotid gland and/or testis of either saliva or defibrinated blood from human mumps cases, displayed clinical symptoms typical of infectious mumps. She found that only young cats were