29 



work. It produces no undue fattening, softness, nor injury to the wind. Tlie high 

 proportion of salts in it has no injurious effect. An all)uminoid ratio as low as 1:11.8 

 has proved highly suitable for heavy continuous work when a sufficient quantity of 

 digestible matter is given. 



According to W. C. Stubbs/" of the Louisiana stations, cane-sugar 

 molasses has been used extensively with success for a number of years 

 for feeding horses and mules in Louisiana, many feeders keeping 

 ' mules exclusively on a ration of rice bran and molasses in addition to 

 cowpea hay. The general custom is to feed the molasses from a large 

 trough, allowing the mules to eat it ad lil?itum. It is said they will con- 

 sume with apparent relish from 8 to 12 pounds per head daily. The 

 mules at the Louisiana stations have been fed molasses daily ad libitum 

 for eight or ten years, and, according to Director Stubbs, show its good 

 effects "in their splendid condition, lively action, and endurance of 

 work." 



In this connection it is interesting to note the results obtained by 

 G. E. Griffin ^ in the experimental feeding of cane-sugar molasses to 

 arm}" horses in Porto Kico. In accordance with the local custom, this 

 material was fed with chopped grass, the ration being gradually sub- 

 stituted for the usual ration of oats and hay. The molasses was diluted 

 with 25 per cent of water, and as much as possible was mixed with the 

 chopped grass. The remainder was added to the drinking water. The 

 test reported continued some five months and led to the deduction that 

 35 pounds of grass and 13 to 15 pounds of molasses daily per 1,000 

 pounds live weight is sufficient to maintain a horse in good condition 

 in a climate like that of Porto Rico. This method of feeding, it was 

 believed, had some disadvantages, which were as follows: 



Molasses attracts insects, notably flies and ants; it sticks to the animal's coat, 

 smears his face and breast, halter and halter strap, soils the clothing and equipment 

 of the men, and causes some trouble and delay in mixing it with the grass, which 

 must be cut fine. 



G. H. Berns^ reports the successful feeding of molasses to 100 draft 

 horses working ten hours a day hauling very heavy loads usually at a 

 walk. The horses averaged 1,700 pounds in weight and were fed per 

 head, night and morning, 1 quart of molasses diluted with 3 quarts of 

 water and thoroughly mixed with 6 pounds of cut hay of good qual- 

 ity, 1.5 quarts of corn meal, and 2.5 quarts of coarse bran. In addi- 

 tion they were fed 5 quarts of dry oats in the middle of the day and 

 11 pounds of long hay at night. It is stated that the horses gradually 

 improved in condition and gained in weight during the fourteen months 

 covered by the test, their coats becoming sleek and glossy, while the 

 amount of work performed was the same as before the molasses ration 

 was adopted. In the meantime their general health is said to have 



«Loc. cit. '^Amer. Vet. Key., 26 (1902-3), p. 615. 



&Amer. Vet. Rev., 25 (1901-2), p. 894. 



