THE OIL MEALS 233 



to separate the hulls from the meats completely and the extent 

 of separation differs in different mills according to their machinery 

 and practice. On the other hand, extra hulls may be added to the 

 meal as it is ground. This is a common practice. That is, the 

 presser merely dilutes 41 per cent protein meal up with hulls and 

 makes 36 per cent. Such a practice makes possible a larger disposal 

 of the hulls as feed. It is believed to be wrong in principle to dilute 

 a high-grade product with a material so poor in feeding value 

 that the farmer would not think of buying it at any price if offered 

 to him separately. 



428. Choice quality most economical. — The 41 per cent 

 protein cottonseed meal is, of course, the highest in price, but on 

 the basis of total digestible nutrients it is in general the most 

 economical to buy, particularly when its higher manurial value 

 is considered. We believe that dairymen should purchase the 

 highest grade meal. At least they should remember that there 

 are three grades and not merely buy meal regardless of protein 

 content. A little experience enables one to judge roughly the 

 quality of cottonseed meal by its color and hull content. Fre- 

 quently the hulls are ground, but this darkens the meal even 

 though the hulls as such cannot be recognized. 



429. Cottonseed feed. — Any mixture of meal and hulls con- 

 taining less than 36 per cent protein must by law be designated as 

 cottonseed feed. In addition to being a further dilution of the meal 

 with low-grade material, it is open to the additional objection of 

 being a product of very indefinite value. There is no limit to the 

 percentage of hulls that may be added. Cottonseed feeds have 

 been reported with as high as 80 per cent of hulls. Such a product 

 could have little if any feeding value. 



430. Feeding cottonseed meal. — Cottonseed meal is in 

 most years about the cheapest source of protein which can be 

 bought for the dairy ration and it is a very satisfactory feed for 

 milk production. It is somewhat constipating and this fact must 

 be remembered in choosing the other ingredients. 



That cottonseed meal is harmful to young calves and pigs is 

 well known. We do not know just what property of the meal 



