276 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



Foods and Drugs in the Louisiana State Board of Healthy 

 for anaylsis. Mr. Clay's report follows : 



"The report is of a composite sample, taken after grind- 

 ing eleven muskrats, received January 5, 1928. 



Moisture 70.59% 



Ash 6.23% 



Phosphates (P205) 2.84% 



Crude fat 3.90% 



Crude protein 20.06% 



Analysis on Dry Basis 



Ash 21.18% 



Phosphates (P205) 9.66% 



Crude fat 13.26% 



Crude protein 68.20% 



"The chemical analysis indicates the composition of 

 muskrats to be such as to make their carcasses valuable 

 either for the manufacture of fertilizer or as a component 

 part of mixed animal feeds. 



"There is a considerable amount of mineral matter pres- 

 ent in the form of phosphates, a valuable plant or animal 

 food. 



"The greater part consists of protein or nitrogenous 

 substances, also a very valuable ingredient. The fat sub- 

 stances could probably be extracted and utilized to advan- 

 tage. 



"The actual value of the muskrat carcasses, would, of 

 course, depend on the availabilty of the supply." 



To ascertain what chemicals, fats and proteins could 

 be recovered in quantities sufficient to make the business of 

 gathering carcasses a practical one, it would be necessary 

 to make such experiments on a very large scale, and this 

 could be done best by one of the very large rendering plants. 



