<41 ANNUAL IUCPORT OK THK Off. Do. 



demonstrated iu value for steers and sheep, about 24 pounds of the 

 pulp being equivalent in effect to two pounds of mixed grain. Owing 

 to its weight and consequent cost of transportation, the use of this 

 material is confined to the immediate locality of the beet-sugar 

 factories. 



It has, however, been found practicable to dry this pulp for trans- 

 portation, and since it is now offered on American markets in this 

 condition, it deserves a passing word respecting its composition and 

 feeding value. The pulp made by the Alma Sugar Company, of Mi- 

 chigan, has been found to contain : 



Per cent. 



Water, 6.09 



Ash, 5.64 



Protein, 9.75 



Fiber, 15.77 



Nitrogen-free extract, 61.94 



Ether extract, .51 



100.00 



The ether extract in this case is not fat, and the nitrogen-free ex- 

 tract is largely composed of pentosans. Digestion experiments 

 made in Europe show that from 74 to 80 per cent, of the organic 

 substance is digested, the digestibility of the protein being from 50 

 to 63 per cent, and that of the remaining constituents much higher. 

 Schmoeger sums up the results of European experience in feeding 

 the dried pulp as follows: The dried chips form as appetizing food 

 useful for all domestic animals and are commonly eaten by them 

 without reluctance. It is often thought best to moisten them with 

 water a short time before feeding. This is especially true in the 

 case of sheep which swallow the dried chips with such eagerness 

 that they sometimes form balls in the digestive tract which swell 

 and produce stoppage. The quantities that may normally be fed per 

 head per day are for sheep, four-fifths of a pound; heifers, 2.2 pounds; 

 milk cows, 6.6 pounds; draft oxen, 8.8 pounds; and oxen and cows on 

 maintenance, 11 pounds. These quantities may in most cases be in- 

 creased' by 50 per cent, without injury. The feeding value may be 

 roughly estimated from the fact that it takes eight pounds of the 

 wet pulp to make a pound of the dry material. 



The quantities of molasses taken up by various absorbents differ 

 much from one another. The cocoanut and palm nut cakes, brewer's 

 grain, etc., take up about 150 pounds of molasses for each 100 pounds 

 of the absorbent, bran only 100 pounds. One hundred pounds of 

 turf meal will absorb 300 pounds of molasses; dried beet pulp, 33 to 

 67 pounds of molasses; dried bagasse, 400 pounds of molasses. The 

 molasses is usually heated above the boiling point of water so that 

 it may be absorbed more readily, and in many cases, the moist beet 

 pulp and bagasse are mixed with molasses, and the mixture subse 

 quently kiln-dried. 



The molasses feeds tend to ferment if they contain more than 20 

 per cent, of moisture, though turf molasses will bear 25 per cent. 

 Rrowne reports that blood molasses beoomes putrid in the moist 



