ANIMAL PRODUCTION". 



363 



The digestibility of molasses feeds, II. J. Patterson and R. Outwater 

 {Maryland Sta. Bill. 117, pp. 230-290). — Using steers as subjects the effects of 

 molasses on the digestibility of hay and on the digestibility of a mixed-grain 

 i-ation were studiod, as well as the digestibility of two commercial molasses 

 feeds and the influence of molasses on the metalbolism of nitrogen. 



The results given in the following table are the average for four animals in 

 every case except for hay and molasses, where only two steers were used : 



Coefficients of (Vujoitihilitii of raiioni^ with and icithoiit nwla.sses — Experiments 



iritli steers. 



Kind of ration. 



Sugars Sugars 

 before after 



inve - inver- 

 sion, sion. 



Ash. 



Hay 



Hay and molasses 



Mi.xed grain 



Mi.\ed grain and molasses 

 Sucrene 



Mueller's molasses grains. 



Per ct. 

 78.9 

 94.6 

 107.1 

 98.9 

 97.9 

 99.8 



Per ct. 

 84.0 

 97.7 



103.6 

 99.9 

 97.7 



100.4 



Per ct. 

 17.2 

 14.1 



18.1 

 49.4 

 39.1 



38.8 



The conclusions which were drawn follow : 



" These results show that the addition of molasses to a ration has a tendency 

 to increase the digestibility of both hay and grain feeds. This, coupled with the 

 generally observed fact that molasses contributes toward making feeds more 

 palatable and also acts as an appetizer, gives to molasses a relatively high place 

 as a stocli food and raalies it more valuable than its analysis alone would 

 indicate. 



" The results obtained with sucrene and Mueller's molasses grains, when com- 

 pared with those obtained for the mixed-grain ration used, show quite evidently 

 that tlie molasses which they contain has contrilHited toward mailing them 

 more digestii)le and giving them a higher feeding value than they would have 

 had without the molasses. The mixed-grain ration used contained a greater 

 variety of grains than is used by most dairymen and probably average well with 

 any in quality, yet both the sucrene and Mueller's molasses grains showed a 

 higher digestil)ility. 



" In studying these figures the point is noticed that the protein is sometimes 

 not so digestil)le in the presence of molas.ses, and this suggests the thought that 

 it may lie tliat the presence of the readily available energy of the molasses has 

 filled the re(]uirenients of the animal and thus not necessitated the brealving up 

 of more difficult protein compounds." 



The recorded data do not show that molasses exercised any effect upon the 

 metal)olism of nitrogen. The feeding stuffs used were analyzed. 



Feeding experiments with cattle, sheep, swine, and horses, R. W. Clark 

 (Utah Sta. Bill. 101, pp. 165-179, 18S-201) .—The principal question studied 

 was the value of sugar-beet pulp for farm animals, though tests of the value 

 of apples for pigs and of gains made by different breeds are also reported. 



In a test of the value of beet pulp and alfalfa with and without grain made 

 with 5 lots of 5 steers each the greatest gain per head per day in a 70-day 

 period, 2.0G lbs., was made by a lot fed a daily ration of alfalfa and beet pulp 

 ad libitum with 4 lbs. of grain, and the smallest gain, 1.37 lbs., with a lot fed 

 alfalfa and beet pulp ad libitum without grain. The gain was most expensive, 

 costing 7.P>1 cts. per pound, on alfalfa and beet pulp ad libitum, and was least 

 expensive, costing o.8ii cts., on alfalfa ad libitum and one-half as much pulp. 



