Abstract
Unprotected tallow is used as a feed ingredient to meet the energy requirement of high milking dairy cows, but its hydrolysed free fatty acids in the rumen can inhibit microbial activity and dietary fibre digestion. However, the negative effects of the tallow could be minimized when high levels of molasses are also fed since feeding molasses could shorten the retention time of the hydrolysed free fatty acids in the rumen. In addition, molasses contains a large proportion of non-structural carbohydrates (sugars) which have fast fermentation rates in the rumen. When a diet is formulated to have a low fermentable metabolisable energy (FME) concentration, supplementing with a high molasses level may partially make up the deficiency of the energy requirement of the microorganisms in the rumen of dairy cows. Previous experiments have showed that molasses could be fed to dairy cows up to 312 g/kg DM without adverse effect (Yan and Roberts, 1992) and a crude protein level at 160 g/kg DM in the diet containing 310 g/kg DM of molasses was satisfactory for feed intake and milk production of dairy cows (Yan and Roberts, 1993). The current experiment was subsequently undertaken to investigate the response of dairy cows given high levels of molasses to dietary levels of FME produced by altering unprotected tallow concentrations in diets.
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Schedule a callMore From: Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972)
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