152 FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



somewhat more palatable and digestible than ordinary dried pulp and 

 has equal or slightly higher feeding value. 



Beet tops. — Beet tops, consisting of the leaves and upper portion of 

 the beet root, are often fed either fresh or ensiled to animals. They 

 may be ensiled in pits or silos in alternate layers with straw, or mixed 

 with cut dry corn fodder or stover. The leaves have about half the 

 feeding value of roots. As they tend to purge the animals, they 

 should be fed only in limited amounts and always with dry roughage. 

 Kellner advises furnishing 3 ounces of chalk or ground limestone for 

 every 100 lbs. of leaves, as otherwise the oxalic acid they contain may 

 prove harmful. 



Cane molasses. — Cane molasses, or blackstrap, a by-product of the 

 manufacture of cane sugar, is much relished by farm animals and 

 does not have the purging effect of beet molasses when fed in large 

 amounts. In the South cane molasses is often one of the cheapest 

 feeds and is extensively fed to horses, mules, and other animals. In 

 the North it is usually so high in price that corn meal and similar 

 feeds are more economical sources of carbohydrates. For improving 

 unpalatable feeds, as a tonic for unthrifty animals, and as a colic pre- 

 ventive for horses, from 2 to 3 lbs. of molasses daily is helpful. Like 

 beet molasses, blackstrap is largely used in mixed feeds. 



Molasses feeds. — INIolasses feeds consist of molasses combined with 

 a wide variety of products, from high-protein feeds like cottonseed 

 meal to such low-grade, trashy refuse as peanut hulls. Many contain 

 screenings but these are now usually so finely ground as to destroy all 

 weed seeds. Deception is easy in such feeds because the molasses 

 masks the other ingredients and permits low-grade waste products to 

 be sold at a price that should buy high-grade concentrates. If sold 

 at prices which are reasonable as compared with the cost of equal 

 amounts of nutrients in high-grade straight concentrates, nothing can 

 be said against the use of reliable feeds of this class. They should be 

 purchased only from trustworthy dealers and on definite guarantee 

 of composition. Especial attention should be paid to the fiber guar- 

 antee, for this shows to what degree low-grade products have been 

 used. 



Molassine meal consists of molasses absorbed by sphagnum moss or 

 peat. Peat has no nutritive value for farm animals and the moss but 

 little. Almost the only nutriment is in the molasses, which can be 

 purchased cheaper and mixed with better roughage on the farm. 



Sugar. — Tho the nutritive value of sugar is no greater than that of 

 starch, animals show great fondness for it and it is often useful for 

 stimulating the appetite and in fitting animals for shows. 



Dried distillers' grains. — In the manufacture of alcohol and dis- 



