Abstract: An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily evaluate silage fermentation quality on site or the like. In one embodiment of the present invention, a gas generated from silage is applied to a surface stress sensor, and the amount of either one of organic acids and nitrogen-containing compounds contained in the silage is determined. The surface stress sensor can detect trace components in a gas by a simple device configuration and in simple procedures. Therefore, by utilizing the fact that relationship between the content of these components and the fermentation quality is known, the evaluation of fermentation quality can be easily realized by the above measurement.

Abstract: A transportation device for transporting an object comprises a base body, a depression provided on a top surface of the base body, a lifting mechanism provided on the base body in correspondence to the depression and including a lift plate for supporting the object thereon and an air envelope unit supplied with compressed air for causing a dilatation in response thereto, the lift plate being connected to the air envelope unit such that the lift plate is lifted upward upon a supply of the compressed air, and an air foil bearing provided on the base body such that a top surface of the air foil bearing is located at a level above a bottom surface of the base body.