BREEDS OF BEEF CATTLE 327 



use to a quart per day, mixing it with the feed principally to render 

 it more palatable, inducing the cattle to consume greater amounts. 

 The idea prevails to a considerable extent that molasses has a laxative 

 action, and its use in large quantities is not advisable. This impres- 

 sion is probably founded upon the experience of feeders of beet mo- 

 lasses, the ash of which is more abundant and contains more potash 

 than the ash of cane molasses. Although observing very closely, we 

 have never noted that increase in amount of molasses fed caused any 

 more inclination to scour than follows the too rapid increase of any 

 new feed. So far as the danger of scouring is concerned there is no 

 reason to refrain from using molasses in the same manner as in any 

 other feed of similar composition would be used. 



Experiment III. Feeding Molasses from Trough. At the close 

 of experiment II, Lot II was divided and added to the original lots I 

 and III, which two lots were increased to ten head each by the addi- 

 tion of other animals of same age and weight. These two lots were 

 turned on grass and fed similarly except that one lot was allowed 

 access to a tight bottomed feed bunk in one end of which a barrel of 

 molasses was placed and gauged to run fast enough to make sure of 

 continuous supply. These cattle, now two-year-olds past, weighing 

 about 900 pounds and eating twelve pounds grain each per day, prin- 

 cipally corn, at the start ate molasses at the rate of six pounds or two 

 quarts each per day. They continued to take increasing amounts of 

 the molasses until in the third week they were taking twelve pounds 

 (one gallon) each daily. Some steers seemed especially fond of the 

 molasses and ate it in such large quantities as to cause them to scour. 

 This is the only experience we have had with the system of feeding 

 clear molasses separately. The grass on which the cattle were de- 

 pendent for roughage was very washy and so scarce that at no time 

 were they as well filled as is desirable. 



Summary. The addition of molasses to a fattening ration has 

 always produced an increased gain. Addition of molasses to a ration 

 of cottonseed meal and hull lowered the cost of gains. When mo- 

 lasses was added to a balanced ration it gave larger gains and im- 

 proved the appearance of the cattle but did not lower the cost of 

 gain. There was no undesirable result from feeding yearling steers 

 one gallon of molasses each per day. and there is good reason to be- 

 lieve that larger amounts might be used. The cheapest gains in each 

 month were made by the lot receiving most nearly a balanced ration. 

 Molasses returned from 3 to 30 cents per gallon. The lower value 

 was obtained when molasses was added to a ration already balanced 

 and when, in the early part of the feeding period, an unbalanced ra- 

 tion was fed the higher value was obtained. (Texas B. 86.) 



FEEDING ALFALFA. 



The use of alfalfa as the sole roughage in full-feeding cattle is 

 becoming quite general and seems to give the best of results. Some 

 feeders, however, are of the opinion that where too much alfalfa of 

 high quality is supplied to steers, they will not consume enough 

 grain to produce satisfactory results. It has been observed in the 

 progress of feeding experiments that cattle receiving nothing but al- 



