NARAIN
DAS
KEHAR
43
(dela), Cassia lanceolata Wall. (dhabeyi), Farsetia
hamiltonii Royle. (lotia grass), Prosopis pubescens
Benth. (debi), Prosopis specigera (khejari), Salvadors
persica Linn. (jar), Tribulus terrestris Linn. (Bakra)
Yucca elata (soap weed), Yucca macrocarpa (Spa-
nish dagger), Yucca glauca (Bear grass), Opuntia
elatior (prickly pear), Opuntia Spp. (spineless
cactus), Euphorbia nerifolia, Salsola foetida, Euch-
laema mexicana, Sotol, Old man's salt bush etc.,
and trees like Zizyphus jujuba (ber), Dalbergia sisoo
(shisham), Ficus religiosa (pipal), Melia azadiaechta
Linn. (neem), Acacia arabica (kikar), Grewia oppo-
sitfolia (pastawunah), Morus alba (mulberry) Bauhi-
nia variagata (kachnar), Adina cordifloria (haldu),
which are commonly found in arid and semi-arid
areas.
Many of these are actually fed by the people to
livestock during famine, a fact borne out by nume-
rous trees lopped to stumps (Plate VI, fig. 3). In-
deed little except poisonous or thorny plants is
allowed to remain in the sun-scorched pasture
areas (Plate VI, figs. 4 and 5). No systematic work
has, however, been carried out on these little-known
fodders. The present work was undertaken to
find out systematically and scientifically some
sources of readily available ' famine fodders'
which, when fed over prolonged periods, would not
produce a deleterious effect. In the course of
these investigations, the possibilities of feeding
munj, kans, groundnut husk, bajra husk, rice hulls
and molasses have been considered. Their chemi-
cal composition as compared with that of wheat
bhusa is shown in Table IV.
The present article, the first of the series, deals
with the possibility of using munj and molasses as
feeds during periods of scarcity.
MUNJ AND MOLASSES
Munj. (Saccharum Munja Roxb.). Since munj
is available in very large quantities, attention
was first directed to its possible utilization as
a feed. This was done in spite of the fact that
Bor [1941] considered it of little or no value as a
fodder grass; moreover it is very rough with
tough serrated leaves. Munj grows wild over
millions of acres and,except that its young
shoots are indifferently browsed upon by animals
for variety and a fraction of its total produce
used for thatching huts, most of it is disposed of
by burning when mature.
This plant shows marked xerophylous adapta-
tions. Although it attains its maximum develop-
ment in moist land, it thrives in typically xerophy-
lous localities as well [Blatter and KcCann, 1935].
Bor [1941] pointed out that it could grow on the
driest of soils, though in such places as the Raj-
putana desert its growth was stunted.
Molasses. As grain is available only to a frac-
tion of the cattle population even in normal times,
the possibility of providing an adequate supply in
times of total or partial crop failure is out of
question. A search for a cheap source of car-
bohydrate suggested the possible use of molasses,
which is the chief by-product of the cane sugar
industry. According to Morrison [1937], Snell
and Taggart [1933], cane molasses is palatable and
is relished by stock. It contains 55 to 65 lb. of
total digestible nutrients per 100 lb. which is about
70 per cent of what is supplied by corn grain.
With the rapid development of the sugar indus-
try, the annual outturn of molasses by various
factories is estimated to be well over 6,00,000 tons.
Only a small fraction of this can be utilized and the
disposal of the remainder is an embarrassing pro-
blem for factory owners. The fermentable nature
of molasses on dilution and the nuisance that it
causes when thrown into open pits require its
immediate disposal.
Several samples of mollasses obtained from
different factories gave the following average
values on analysis:
Dry
matter
76.10
Total
ash
8.27
Crude
protein
1.74
CaO
0.97
P 2 O 5
0.07
S
0.79
It may be pointed out that in the process of
sugar manufacture, the juice is clarified and puri-
fied with lime and sulphur dioxide. The residual
syrup, after the grains of sugar have been separated
by a centrifuge, contains, in addition to about 55
per cent of sugars, fairly large quantities of calcium
oxide and sulphur, which require adjustment for
long feeding trials.
FEEDING EXPERIMENTS
Feeding trials, which were made as comparable
with field conditions as possible, were conducted
on eight adult healthy hill bulls. The munj and
molasses ration, which was poor in protein and
high in calcium, was supplemented with mustard
cake and wheat bran, and tried for (1) their palati-
bility, and (2) their effect on the health of the ani-
mals. Before feeding the munj was chopped,
beaten with sticks to remove the adhering dust and
moistened with water a few hours before it was
given to the animals. The extent of moistening
was so adjusted that it did not prick when pressed
between the hands. At this stage it contained
about 40 per cent moisture. This moistened
material was then placed in the manger, and mixed
well with cake and bran which had been soaked
previously in water. Molasses mixed in equal
proportions with water was sprinkled over this
mixture and the whole mass stirred up thoroughly.
In addition to the above, salt licks ad lib were
supplied and 1 to 2 lb. of green tree leaves were
given twice a week to provide carotene, since
avitaminosis A is one of the chief deficiencies.