THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CERTAIN FEEDS. 61 



As a result of numerous experiments it has been shown to have sub- 

 stantially three-fourths the nutritive value of corn meal. Contrarj^ to 

 popular opinion, molasses does not improve the digestibility of other foods 

 with which it is fed ; it decreases or depresses their digestibility. ' As a 

 result of his reading and own experiments, the writer desires to repeat 

 previous statements concerning the use of molasses : — 



1. For Dairy Stock. — No advantage is to be gained by 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, and for facilitat- 

 ing the disposal of unpalatable and inferior roughage, 2 to 3 pounds of 

 molasses daily undoubtedlj^ would prove helpful and economical. 



2. For fattening Beef Cattle. ■ — Some 3 pounds dailj^ may be fed advan- 

 tageously, especially during the finishing process, when the appetite is 

 likely to prove fickle. The object at such times is to make the food espe- 

 cially palatable, and thus induce a maximum consumjjtion. and al«o to 

 secure a bright, sleek appearance. 



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

 use of molasses, the writer is not inchned to reconmiend to northern 

 feeders its indiscriminate use in the place of the cereals and their bj^- 

 products. As an appetizer and tonic for horses out of condition, and for 

 hard-worked horses, as a valuable colic preventive, and for improving the 

 palatability of rations, 2 to 3 pounds daily of molasses undoubtedly would 

 prove productive of satisfactory results. Frequently, however, horses 

 that have become accustomed to molasses as a component of the ration 

 refuse to eat freelj' should the molasses be remo\'ed. 



(6) Hoiv to feed Plain Molasses. 

 When molasses is fed in its natural state it should be wanned if neces- 

 sary, diluted somewhat Avith wann water, and mixed with the bulk of the 

 grain ration or with finely cut hay or straw. Molasses may also be placed 

 in a sack suspended in a barrel of water over night and the resulting liquid 

 given as a drink. 



2. COTTONSEED MEAL AND COTTONSEED HULLS.^ 



Cottonseed meal is the ground cake resulting from the extraction of 

 cottonseed oil from the cottonseed kernel. Cottonseed meal containing 

 not more than 8 per cent, fiber nor less than 40 per cent, protein is ta 

 be preferred to that containing more fiber and less protein. Our com- 

 pilations of analyses of cottonseed meal made since the adoption of the- 

 feedstuff law show the following average protein, fat and fiber content 

 for the various years : — 



» Mass. Expt. Sta., 22d report, pp. 82-131. 

 2 Prepared entirely by Mr. Smith. 



