I . A flour was prepared from rhizomes of shoti (Curcumcr zedouriu) in such a way that most of the protein was retained. The crude protein fnitrogen x 6.25) content in this product *as 155 g/kg, compared with approximately 10 g/kg in commercial shoti flour. 2.The high-protein flour proved highly toxic to 5-week-old rats and caused IOO % mortality within 6 d when given at 320 g/kg diet.3. Fresh rhizomes were minced and dried, and the resulting meal was given to weanling rats at 400 g/kg diet. All the animals lost weight rapidly, and two of the five rats died within 4 d.4. This same shoti meal was given to 1-d-old chicks at IOO and 200 g/kg diet. All the chicks survived the test period (20 d), but body-weight, food intake and efficiency of food conversion decreased with increase in the level of shoti meal in the diet. 5.The traditional method of preparing shoti involves prolonged washing in changes of water, which removes most of the protein and other water-soluble nutrients and, presumably, a toxic constituent. Further investigation is needed to identify the toxic principle, and to discover a less wasteful procedure for removing it.Starch prepared from rhizomes of Curcuma zedoaria, commonly known as shoti, is extensively used as gruel to feed infants and invalids in many rural areas of Bangladesh, Jndia, Ceylon, China and other South-East Asian countries. Shoti is a member of the ginger family of plants (Zingiberaceae) and grows in abundance in the forests of India and Asia and at roadsides and on fallow land. It is also cultivated in some areas as a root crop. Villagers collect the rhizomes, mince them and then soak them in water for several hours. The fibres and coarse particles are removed and the white residue is washed several times to remove the camphoraceous odour and the pungent bitter principles. During this washing process most of the protein is removed. The washed residue is dried and ground and used to prepare gruel for infants. It has been reported that the raw, unprocessed tubers of shoti plants are also eaten, after washing, by the poorer section of the rural community during times of acute scarcity of food, and that the tender buds are sometimes used in salads.Shoti starch prepared commercially by the conventional method has only approximately 10 g crude protein (nitrogen x 6.25) and 800 g starch/kg. The dried whole rhizome contains 100-130 g crude protein with approximately 500 g starch/kg. The enormous quantities of shoti that grow naturally represent an under-exploited and potentially valuable source of food for humans and domestic animals. The initial aim in the present investigation was to conserve the protein in the preparation of a shoti meal, and to determine its nutritional quality in growth tests with chicks and rats.Two experiments weredone. For the first, shoti rhizomes were processed in the laboratory in such a way that the protein was largely retained in the flour. This material, shoti flour, was tested in growth assays with rats. For the second experiment, a shoti meal was made

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The relationship between the scrotal circumference and semen volume, sperm concentration and number of sperm per ejaculate of 12 crossbred bulls [4 Local × Friesian, 4 Local × Sahiwal] was studied. Semen of three consecutive collections at seven day intervals was evaluated. The age of bulls at first collection varied between 15 and 20 months. Soon after collection, volume, sperm concentration, number of spermatozoa per ejaculate and initial sperm motility of fresh semen were measured. Scrotal circumference was correlated with semen volume, sperm concentration and number of spermatozoa per ejaculate in both groups. A significant (P<0.04) positive correlation (r = 0.72) was observed between scrotal circumference and volume of semen, and between scrotal circumference and number of sperm production per ejaculate. Significant (P<0.05) variation was observed in different semen parameters between bulls within the same group, but no significant (P>0.05) variation was found between the two groups. It is suggested that crossbred bulls aged 18 months or over, with scrotal circumference more than 30 cm, yielded good quality semen. (Bangl.

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