236 BETTER DAIRY FARMING 



Recent experiments with laboratory animals and with hogs 

 indicate that the soybean contains protein of very high quality 

 compared to other vegetable sources. This fact, coupled with the 

 excellent results obtained in the limited trials that have been made 

 with dairy cows, cause us to regard this source of feed as one well 

 worth trial and investigation. 



436. Soybean oil meal. — The residue from the extraction 

 of oil contains somewhat more digestible protein and total di- 

 gestible nutrients than choice cottonseed meal. The use of this 

 feed has been limited to certain sections of the country, nota- 

 bly to the Pacific Coast where it is imported from the Orient. 

 There are some mills in the South where soybeans are pressed 

 but the amount of the oil meal on the market is very limited. 

 It appears to be highly liked by dairymen where it has been 

 tried and farmers may well bear this in mind, as an increasing 

 output may be expected. 



437. Sugar factory by-products. — The two sources of the 

 sugar used on the table are the sugar cane and sugar beet. Most 

 of the molasses used for feed is a by-product from the manufacture 

 of cane sugar. The beet sugar process furnishes dried beet pulp 

 as well as some beet molasses. 



438. Cane molasses. — A good grade of cane molasses should 

 contain not less than 53 to 55 per cent of total sugar, not over 

 6 per cent of ash and not over 21 to 22 per cent of water. The 

 feeding value of molasses is based primarily on its sugar content. 

 It contains some 3 per cent of protein but only one-third of 

 this is digestible. There is no fat. An average grade of molasses 

 is worth about three-fourths as much as corn meal on the basis of 

 its total digestible nutrients, though, of course, it has much less 

 protein. However, molasses has a special value in toning up the 

 system and in keeping the bowels open. It also puts a nice smooth 

 coat on the animal. Because of these beneficial effects, many 

 feeders like to have a little molasses in the ration even though it 

 may be a costly source of total digestible nutrients. Particularly 

 this is true in rations for cows on test. For this purpose molasses 

 finds a very general use. 



