45 



MOLASSES AND MOLASSES FEEDS. 



The residuum molasses from Porto Rico is at pres- 



Molasses. ent being offered in New England for feeding pur- 

 poses at 13 cents a gallon of 12 pounds. The sta- 

 tion is devoting considerable time to studying the value of this 

 product for the purpose of animal nutrition, and intends publishing 

 its results in bulletin form when completed. The experiments are 

 sufficiently advanced to justify the following statements : 



I St. The molasses contains 24 to 28 per cent of water, 3 per 

 cent of nitrogenous matter and 7 to 8 per cent of ash ; the balance 

 consists of sugar and allied substances. It is a strictly carbohydrate 

 feed, belonging to the same group as corn and hominy meals. 

 Molasses is a perfectly legitimate feed stuff, the only questions for 

 consideration relate to its relative economy and its suitability for 

 different farm animals. 



2nd, It will probably be shown to contain some 1200 pounds 

 of digestible organic matter in a ton, against 1500 pounds in 

 a ton of corn meal. On this basis alone it would have — pound for 

 pound — 80 per cent of the nutritive value of corn. Its value will 

 probably be somewhat enhanced over this figure, because of its other 

 desirable qualities. 



3rd. Molasses has failed to produce any particularly favorable 

 effect upon animals that were previously in normal condition, 

 neither has it noticeably changed the quality of the milk. It has 

 not been tried at this station upon horses that were not in satisfac- 

 tory physical condition. 



4th. Molasses may constitute one-sixth to one-fourth of the grain 

 ration for horses (one pint to one-quart daily.) A larger quantity 

 tends to make them logy. The same amount may be fed daily as a 

 constituent of the grain ration for dairy stock. For young pigs, 

 weighing 50 pounds, we have begun with an ounce daily in connection 

 with sweet skim milk and corn meal, and gradually increased, until, 

 when the pigs averaged 230 pounds, each was receiving 4 pounds 

 daily. These pigs continue to grow well, and show no unfavorable 

 effects from the molasses ration. Whether it will prove more eco- 

 nomical than corn meal for fattening has not been demonstrated. 

 The station intends giving this matter further study. 



5th. Molasses being very deficient in nitrogenous matter must be 



