14 
BULLETIN 1272, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
The addition of 264 pounds of molasses to an already satisfactory 
ration resulted in production of 90.1 pounds more milk and 7.78 
pounds less fat. The extra milk in this case, as in the preceding, 
does not cover the cost of the molasses. 
It was thought probable that results more favorable to molasses 
might be obtained oy replacing a portion of the ration with molasses 
rather than by feeding the molasses in addition to other feeds. 
Accordingly, in another experiment (Table 22), 1.1 pounds of hominy 
feed were replaced with an equal weight of molasses, the experiment 
otherwise being exactly like the preceding. 
Table 22. — Comparison of molasses and hominy feed in ration otherwise identical 
Quantity of feed 
Yield 
Group 
Grain 
Hay 
Silage 
Beet 
pulp 
Molas- 
ses 
H KT M^ 
Butter GcAn in 
B f a \ eT body 
tat ! weight 
Groups fed molasses. 
Groups fed hominy 
Pounds 
3, 202. 5 
3, 202. 5 
Pounds 
2,989 
2,998 
Pounds 
3,448 
3.448 
Pounds 
1, 255. 5 
1, 255. 5 
Pounds 
■ 264 
Pounds 
Pounds 
7, 991. 9 
8,244.2 
Pounds Pounds 
346. 82 242 
264 
351. 74 1 205 
Difference in 
favor of 
252.3 
4.92 -37 
The molasses-fed cows produced 252.3 pounds less milk and 4.92 
pounds less butt erf at but gained a little more in body weight. Ap- 
parently the molasses is slightly less valuable pound for pound than 
hominy feed, though probably the digestible nutrients in molasses 
are as efficient for milk production as an equal weight of digestible 
nutrients in hominy feed. 
In no one of the three molasses experiments is there evidence of 
any advantage in feeding molasses that is at all commensurate with 
the extra trouble of handling it, to say nothing of the extra cost. 
Molasses, no doubt, is of value for certain uses, such as rendering 
feeds of poor quality more palatable, inducing greater consumption 
of feed by exceptionally high producers, or for use by cows naturally 
lacking in digestive capacity. 
SUMMARY 
Fish meal, though not so palatable as cottonseed meal, was found 
to be worth pound for poimd 20 or 25 per cent more than prime 
cottonseed meal. 
Peanut feed containing 27.25 per cent crude protein possesses a 
nutritive value not exceeding 74 per cent of that of prime cottonseed 
meal. It is thought that the protein content affords a fairly reliable 
guide in estimating the value of this feed in comparison with cotton- 
seed meal. 
Potato meal is worth not more than 78 per cent as much as corn 
meal. 
The maximum value that can be assigned to velvet-bean meal is 
65 per cent that of cottonseed meal. 
Sweet -potato meal appears to be almost as valuable as corn meal 
as a feed for dairy cows. 
