1910.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 83 



It can be assuiHcd with safety that molasses, being soluble in 

 water, is easily digested and assimilated when fed in reasonable 

 amounts. If fed in excess it is likely to affect adversely the 

 heart and kidneys, and to appear undigested in the urine. ^ It 

 is a well-kno\\ai fact that the addition of starch, sugar and 

 similar substances causes a distinct depression in the digesti- 

 bility of the material with which they are fed.- Various reasons 

 have been advanced to account for this depression, which has as 

 yet not been definitely proved. In case of beet molasses, Kell- 

 ner ^ has shown an average digestion depression of 9 per cent., 

 and he states that the value of beet molasses for cattle and sheep 

 consists in its 55 per cent, of digestible carbohydrates (1,100 

 pounds to the ton). 



Lehmann,* as a result of three digestion experiments (nine 

 single trials) with sheep, obtained an average digestion depres- 

 sion of 11 per cent., which he deducts from the 71 per cent, of 

 total organic matter in beet molasses, thus securing 60 per cent., 

 or 1,200 pounds, of digestible organic matter to the ton. 



Grandeau and Aleken. have shown that molasses when fed to 

 horses also causes a noticeable digestion depression. Alquier and 

 Drouineau, in reviewing the work of both French and German 

 investigators, state that in case of horses the addition of 3 iDounds 

 of molasses per 1,000 pounds live weight caused a depression of 

 4.5 per cent., while with ruminants the feeding of 4 pounds of 

 molasses per 1,000 pounds live weight produced an average de- 

 pression of only 3 per cent, in the digestibility of the foods with 

 which it was fed.^ 



Patterson ® reported, in case of two steers, when molasses con- 

 stituted some 12 per cent, of the total dry matter of the ration, 

 an improvement of 24 per cent, in the digestibility of the hay. 

 Molasses fed to four steers in combination with hay and gTain, 

 and comprising 14 per cent, of the total dry matter of the ration, 

 improved the condition of the hay and grain ration 14.5 per 

 cent, (coefficients of digestibility of the dry matter of the hay 



1 Kellncr, Arbeiten der D. Landw. Ges. 152 Heft., 1909, p. 16. 



2 Kellner, Die Ernahrnng Landw. Xutzthiere, fiinfte Auflage 1909, pp. .lO, .'51. Numerous 

 references are cited by Kellner. 



3 Landw. Verssuehs. 53 P.d., pp. 220 and 233, 234, .304 and .342, 343; 55 Bd., p. 3S4. 

 * Landw. .Jahrlnicher, Vol. XXV., Ergiinzungsband IT., 1896. 



5 Ann. .Sci. Agron., 2 s^rie, 1904, Tome 1, pp. 249-2.')4. 



6 Molasses Feeds, Bulletin 117, Maryland Experiment Station. 



