1908.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 97 



a component of the daily rations for the several important 

 kinds of farm animals. The conclusions may be summarized 

 briefly as follows : — 



For Dairy Cattle. — No particular advantage is to be gained 

 under ordinary conditions by the northern farmers, from the 

 use of molasses as a food in place of corn meal and similar car- 

 bohydrates. As an appetizer for cows out of condition, to 

 induce a temporary maximum food consumption and for fa- 

 cilitating the disposal of unpalatable and inferior roughage and 

 grain, two to three pounds daily of molasses undoubtedly 

 would prove helpful and economical. 



For fattening Cattle. — Some three pounds daily may be fed 

 advantageously, especially during the finishing process, when 

 the appetite is likely to prove fickle. The object at such times 

 should be to make the food especially palatable, and thus in- 

 duce a maximum consumption and also to secure a bright, 

 sleek appearance. 



For Horses. — In spite of the many reports favorable to the 

 use of molasses for horses, the writer is not inclined to recom- 

 mend to northern farmers its indiscriminate use in place of the 

 cereals and their by-products. As an appetizer and tonic for 

 horses out of condition, as a colic preventive and for improv- 

 ing the palatability of rations, two to three pounds daily of 

 molasses would undoubtedly prove productive of satisfactory 

 results. 



For Pigs. — These animals will consume reasonably large 

 quantities of cane molasses daily without ill effects (one pound 

 per one hundred pounds live weight). Small amounts (two 

 to three ounces daily) must be given at first and gradually in- 

 creased. Molasses must be fed with foods reasonably rich in 

 protein. If skim milk is not available, a combination by weight 

 of two parts bran, one part gluten feed, one part corn meal 

 and one part molasses, or one part tankage, four parts corn 

 meal and one part molasses, ought to prove satisfactory. It 

 is believed that no particular advantage is to be gained by 

 employing molasses for pig feeding other than an appetizer. 



The residuum molasses from Porto Eico (blackstrap) is 

 broujfht in tank steamers and offered in Boston at 14 cents a 



o 



gallon of 12 pounds in barrel lots. It contains about 1,100 



