188 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



water before feeding. 11 Tho moistened dried beet pulp may be used as 

 a substitute for corn silage, at the usual prices the latter is much more 

 economical for those who can raise most of their own feed. 



277. Beet molasses. The molasses from beet sugar factories is a valu- 

 able carbonaceous feed when properly fed, as it contains about 62 per 

 ct. of nitrogen-free extract, which is nearly all sugar. The crude pro- 

 tein of both beet and cane molasses consists largely of compounds having 

 little nutritive value. 



When fed in too large amounts, it is very laxative, on account of its 

 high content of alkaline salts and of other purgative substances. In the 

 beet sugar districts the molasses is usually a cheap source of carbo- 

 hydrates, being valued at three-fourths as much per ton as corn, or more. 

 Due to its sticky nature, the molasses, either undiluted or thinned with 

 water, is usually distributed over hay or straw, while large feeders use 

 machines for mixing the molasses with cut roughage. Animals should 

 gradually become accustomed to the molasses and care must be taken 

 not to feed too large an allowance. 



The maximum amounts of molasses advised by various authorities for 

 animals accustomed to the feed are as follows, per 1,000 Ibs. live weight : 

 Driving horses, 2.5 Ibs., and up to 4 Ibs. or even more for draft horses; 

 dairy cows, 2.5 to 3 Ibs. ; fattening cattle, 4 to 8 Ibs. ; fattening sheep, 3 

 to 5; and fattening swine, 5 to 10 Ibs. (483, 748, 854) Breeding ani- 

 mals should be given smaller allowances than those being fattened, and 

 the amount should be materially reduced 6 weeks before delivery. Beet 

 molasses is extensively used in various mixed feeds, described later. (281) 



278. Molasses-beet pulp. Beet molasses is sometimes combined with 

 beet pulp and dried, forming dried molasses-beet pulp. This feed is 

 somewhat more palatable and digestible than the ordinary dried pulp and 

 has equal or slightly higher feeding value. (586, 854) 



279. Beet tops. In harvesting sugar beets for sugar, the crown is 

 cut off, as it contains salts which interfere with the recovery of sugar 

 from the juice. When gathered without undue waste, the tops, includ- 

 ing the leaves, will weigh about half as much as the marketed beets. 

 Stock may be grazed on the tops (369), or the tops, freed from as much 

 soil as possible by shaking, may be ensiled. They are commonly ensiled 

 in pits, often in alternate layers with straw. In the latter case the mass 

 must be packed especially well, and the tops ensiled before they have 

 dried out. When ensiled, the tops are much less purgative than when 

 fresh. The silage is improved by spreading 5 Ibs. salt over each ton of 

 tops. The silage is fed with good results, along with hay and other feeds 

 to balance the ration, to fattening cattle and sheep and to dairy cows 

 but it is worth considerably less than good corn silage per ton. (746) Not 

 over 30 Ibs. daily should be fed to cattle or 3 Ibs. daily to sheep. 12 



280. Cane molasses. Cane molasses, or blackstrap, the by-product of 

 the manufacture of cane sugar, is palatable and much relished by farm 



"Mass. Rpt. 1910, Part II, p. 24. "Jones, U. S. D. A. Farmers' Bui. 1095. 



