1913.1 PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 63 



grain screenings, flax shivcs, ground alfalfa liay, one or more 

 protein concentrates (usually cottonseed meal or gluten feed) 

 and one-fourth to one-third molasses. The molasses is used for 

 the threefold purpose of disguising the inferior feedstuifs, for 

 improving the palatability of the mixture, and as a direct 

 source of nutrition. The grain hulls, screenings, and the flax 

 shives are used because they are relatively cheap, and also to 

 serve as an absorbent for the molasses. The cereals themselves, 

 at times, are of an inferior character, being imperfectly de- 

 veloped or moldy. The cottonseed meal and gluten feed are 

 used to increase the protein content of the feed. Flax shives 

 consist of the ground stalks and pods of the flax plant, and 

 have a decidedly inferior feeding value. The better class of 

 grain screenings possess considerable nutritive value. A num- 

 ber of years since, the writer studied the nutritive value of mo- 

 lasses feeds and found them to be moderately digestible (69 

 per cent., as against 62 for wheat bran, 79 for cottonseed meal 

 and 88 for gluten feed and com meal). During the last few 

 years it is believed that the general character of these feeds 

 has somewhat improved, in that the grain screenings have been 

 ground, the protein content of some of them materially in- 

 creased, and the fiber percentage lessened, all of which would 

 tend to increase their digestibility. One notes at present, ex- 

 tremes of from 16 to 25 per cent, of protein and from 8 to 16 

 per cent, of fiber. A molasses feed that contains 18 per cent, 

 of protein, and not over 9 per cent, of fiber, is worthy of con- 

 sideration by feeders, providing it can be bought at a reasonable 

 price. The tendency has been for the manufacturers to give 

 theui attractive names, make exaggerated claims for tliem and 

 to sell them at prices in excess of their value. It is believed 

 that local dealers secured a greater margin of profit on such 

 mixtures than on staple feed articles. 



It is not intended to discourage the utilization of low-grade 

 by-products; when, however, they are disguised and sold at sub- 

 stantially the same prices as high-grade feeds, attention should 

 be sharply called to the fact. 



This autumn (1912) molasses dairy feeds retailed at from 

 $27 to $34, and the horse feeds at from $34 to .$40 a ton. It is 

 believed that the average feeder can do better by purchasing 



