Molasses Supplementation Research Articles

Effects of the supplementation of yeast, molasses and barley to barley straw diets on the intake, digestibility and ruminal fermentation in sheep

The effects of the supplementation of yeast, molasses and barley to barley straw diets on the dry matter intake, digestibil- ity and ruminal fermentation in sheep were investigated. Ten male merino sheep were used in a changeover design trial of five 30-day periods. Baker's yeast (50 g/kg straw), molasses (100g/kg straw) and barley grain (100 g/kg straw) were given either separately or in combination as supplements to barley straw. Supplementation increased the total dry matter intake by 18.2-36.8 %. Supplements given alone or in combination had no effect on dry matter and organic matter digestibility of the diet. Crude protein digestibility was decreased with molasses supplementation. Crude fiber digestibility was not affected by baker's yeast supplementation but decreased with other supplements. The digestibility of nitrogen free extract was increased with carbohydrate supplementation. Rumen pH, total volatile fatty acids and ammonia-nitrogen values were not influenced significantly (p>0.05) by supplementation. As a conclusion, when urea to meet the requirements for rumen degradable N and vitamin-mineral premixes were mixed throughly with barley straw, usage of moderate levels of baker's yeast, molasses, barley grain or the mixture of them increased total dry mat- ter and crude protein intake, but didn't affect the digestibilities of dry matter and organic matter of diets and rumen parameters in

Digestion of timothy silage and hay in reindeer

Leafy timothy (Phleum pratense) silage (S), silage mixed with molasses (SM) and hay (H) were fed to nine male reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) calves in winter to investigate rumen function and digestion. Three calves were given S with 18.5% dry matter (DM), three were given SM (21.9% DM) and three were given H (85.0% DM). The content of water soluble carbohydrates (in % of DM) was 8.2% in S, 16.0% in SM and 8.5% in H. Median (range) daily DM food intake per kg BM was 12.9 (9-2-14.4) g in calves fed S, 19.0 (19-0-21.9) g in calves fed SM and 21.0 (19.2¬21.1) g in calves fed H. In vivo digestion of S and SM DM ranged from 78.5-83.1% compared to only 69-9-72.9% in calves fed H. In vitro DM digestion (IVDMD) of cellulose (median) incubated for 48 hours in rumen fluid was, however, significantly (F = 0.05) lower in calves fed S (24.4%) compared to calves fed SM (42.2%). Median IVDMD of cellulose (48 hours) in calves fed H was 36.4%. Total concentration of VFA (range) in the rumen fluid from reindeer fed H (99.7-113.6 mM) and was significantly (P<0.05) higher compared to animals fed S (57.7-85.9 mM) or SM (51.4-72.0 mM). Likewise, the pH of the rumen fluid (range) was significantly (P<0.05) lower in reindeer fed H (6.40-6.78) compared to animals fed S (6.97-7.30) or SM (6.79-7.27). Based on this study it is concluded that leafy timothy preserved as hay seems to be more suitable as emergency feed compared to silage. Supplementation of molasses to silage seems to stimulate food intake and ruminal cellulose digestion in reindeer. The lower intake of S compared to SM or H by reindeer may be explained by ruminal energy deficiency.

Effect of molasses-urea-block (MUB) on dry matter intake, growth, reproductive performance and control of gastrointestinal nematode infection of grazing Menz ram lambs

The effect of urea-molasses feed-supplement blocks (MUB) on feed utilisation and the inclusion of anthelmintic medication into the blocks at strategic times to control nematode parasites was studied in lambs grazed on low quality tropical pasture. 120 Menz ram lambs of 5–7 months of age were divided into six groups for methods of treatment against internal parasites and urea molasses supplementation. The benzimidazole anthelmintic fenbendazole was administered at the rate of 10 mg kg −1 liveweight as a drench or via medicated MUB. Animals grazed in two lots during the day and had access to grass hay in night pens ad libitum. Groups 1–3 comprised a non-supplemented (NOSUP) lot that only grazed while groups 4–6 consumed, in addition, an average of 80 g per head per day of molasses-urea-block (SUPP) supplement. The MUB supplement was provided daily for nine months but medicated MUB was used only for strategic prophylactic treatment against nematodes. SUPP animals had higher daily DM intakes (568 ±11 versus 532 ± 11 g DM per head per day, P < 0.05), the advantage being greatest in the wet season when there was also a concomitant increase in herbage digestibility ( P < 0.001). SUPP animals were 4kg heavier (25.7 ± 0.5 versus 21.7 ± 0.5 kg, P < 0.05) and had deposited more body reserves as judged by condition score (3.2 ± 0.1 versus 2.4 ± 0.1) after 6 months. The level of infection with endoparasites was lower in the dry than in the wet season. Medicated MUB was as efficient in treating against endoparasites as drenching. Similarly, the MUB supplement mitigated the effect of endoparasitism. Anthelmintic treatment did not improve testicular size or semen quality ( P> 0.05). Testicular growth increased faster during the first 3 months to highest values of 26.9 ± 0.3 and 25.3 ± 0.3 cm, respectively in SUPP and NOSUP animals ( P < 0.001) at 6 months. Semen quality improved with age and was better in SUPP than NOSUP males ( P < 0.05– P < 0.001). It is concluded that MUB supplementation is a suitable method for supplementing the nutrition of grazing sheep in Ethiopia, and that MUB feeding can help alleviate the effect of endoparasitism.

Performance of West African Dwarf goats fed dehydrated poultry manure as a dry season supplement.

The performance of West African Dwarf goats fed dehydrated poultry manure when grazing maturing pastures was studied during 2 dry season months on the Accra Plains of Ghana. Twenty-eight goats (4 bucks and 24 does) were randomly selected and divided into 4 groups of one buck and 6 does each. Animals had access to pasture and, in addition, each group was randomly assigned to one of 4 supplementary dietary treatments: (1) 100% straw; (2) 60% straw + 40% molasses; (3) 50% straw + 40% molasses + 10% dehydrated poultry manure; (4) 40% straw + 40% molasses + 20% dehydrated poultry manure. Weight gains and efficiency of feed utilisation were significantly affected by diet type (P < 0.01). The goats fed Diets 3 and 4 gained more (P < 0.01) and utilised their diets more efficiently (P < 0.01) than goats fed Diets 1 and 2. Goats fed Diet 2 performed better than those fed Diet 1 in both traits. Dehydrated poultry manure (incorporated with molasses) supplementation improved the overall performance of goats grazing low quality natural pastures.

Effect of molasses supplementation of a roughage based diet on growth performances of cattle

Effect of molasses supplementation of a roughage based diet on growth performances of cattle

Alternative management strategies for maximising productivity in beef cattle in the subtropics

Two concurrent factorial experiments investigated the relative merits of the following management options to maximise liveweight gains in finishing cattle: breed [Hereford (Bos taurus) v. Belmont Red (B. taurus x B. indicus)]; implantation with zeranol; feed energy source (sorghum grain, molasses + urea, tropical grass pastures); feed protein source (sunflower meal, Leucaena leucocephala, tropical pasture legumes). These combinations of treatments were delivered by using nil, intermittent, or continuous grazing systems. Sixty steers of initial liveweight (� s.e) 321 � 3.6 kg were held on their respective treatments for 77 or 98 days, by which time all except those on pasture without supplement had attained at least 400 kg liveweight. Steers were slaughtered in a commercial abattoir and carcass characteristics recorded. Zeranol-implanted cattle grew faster than untreated (0.84 v. 0.66 kg/day), and there was a trend (P = 0.14) for Belmont Red cattle to grow faster than Herefords (0.83 v. 0.67 kg/day). In all systems, cattle given ad libitum sorghum grain grew significantly (P&lt;0.05) better than those given molasses + urea (1.54-0.65 v. 0.72-0.45 kg/day). The poor performance of molasses-fed cattle was associated with low voluntary feed consumptions. The highest rates of gain (1.54 kg/day) were for penned cattle on a sorghum grain + sunflower ration. The provision of either supplement promoted better gains than that found for unsupplemented steers grazing tropical grass-legume pastures (-0.29 to +0.26 kg/day). However, cattle continuously grazing (10 steers/ha) leucaena-grass pastures and those given sunflower meal had significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher rates of gain (0.82 and 0.91 kg/day, respectively) than cattle given molasses supplements or grazing alone. Cattle given sorghum had higher carcass weights and fat contents than those fed molasses or with grazing alone, although only those in the feedlot had acceptable fat cover at slaughter. There was no significant effect of treatments on the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat.

Supplementation of grass hay with molasses in crossbred ( Bos taurus × Bos indicus) non-lactating cows: effect of timing of molasses supplements on feed intake, digestion, DM degradation and rumen fermentation

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of timing of molasses supplementation on feed intake, diet digestibility, degradation of hay dry matter (DM), rumen pool size of total ingesta and neutral detergent fibre, and rumen fermentation. Four ruminally fistulated Friesian ( Bos taurus) × Boran ( Bos indicus) crossbred non-lactating cows, in a balanced 4 × 4 Latin square experiment, were given a basal diet (Diet C) of grass hay ad libitum and 2.0 kg DM of noug ( Guizotia abyssinica) cake per day. The other three diets were supplemented with 2.0 kg DM day −1 of sugar-cane molasses given at the same time as a meal of the basal diet (Diet M0), or 1 h after (Diet M1) or 2 h after (Diet M2) a meal of the basal diet. The DM intake of hay was highest (8 vs. 7 kg) when molasses was given at the same time as the basal diet. The effect of molasses on total DM intake was additive, so that the intake of total DM increased ( P < 0.001) the molasses supplement. The apparent digestibility of DM was increased from 0.57 to 0.61 by including molasses in the diets ( P < 0.01). The molasses diets had no significant effect ( P > 0.05) on the degradation parameters of DM of grass hay. Molasses supplements decreased ( P < 0.001) the mean concentration of ammonia from 14.6 to 9.9 mmol l −1. The molar proportion of acetate was lower in molasses-containing diets (714 vs. 659 mmol mol l −1, P < 0.001), and those of propionate (171 vs. 206 mmol mol l −1, P < 0.001) and butyrate (94 vs. 117 mmol mol l −1, P < 0.01) were higher.

Effect of fenbendazole molasses supplement block treatment on nematode infection and subsequent weight gain of weanling beef calves

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of fenbendazole molasses supplement block treatment on weight gain of weanling beef calves. An initial (November) oral fenbendazole (5 mg kg −1) treatment was administered to all animals in both trials. In Trials 1 and 2, respectively, two fenbendazole molasses supplement block treatments were administered 6 (6.4 mg kg −1) and 16 (7.0 mg kg −1) weeks later and 7 (3.4 mg kg −1) and 14 (3.8 mg kg −1) weeks later. During the treatment periods, calves were maintained on dormant bermuda grass pasture, supplemented with hay and protein/mineral blocks. The first block treatment was administered approximately midway through the supplement period to suppress the infection level when nutrition was marginal. The second treatment was administered just prior to ryegrass grazing. Trial 1 and 2 treatments resulted in reducing the infection level, as indicated by reduced mean fecal egg counts. Treatment group mean fecal egg counts remained lower than control group mean counts throughout each trial. In Trial 1, the treatment group gained 29.5 kg more than the control group. In Trial 2, the control group gained 15.5 kg more than the treatment group. Fecal egg count data indicated that the infection level during Trial 1 was higher than during Trial 2. This difference could influence weight gain.

Ammoniation or Cane Molasses Supplementation of Tropical Grass Hay

Molasses-urea mixtures are often fed with low-quality hay or stockpiled grass pasture to wintering beef cattle (Bos spp.). Chemical treatment of low-quality forage may improve fiber digestibility and animal performance more than energy supplementation of the untreated forage. Laboratory, digestion, and growth studies evaluated the effects of anhydrous ammonia treatment or molasses supplementation on the feeding value of mature stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuënsis Vanderyst) hay. Ammoniation reduced (P < 0.003) neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration (89.5 vs. 83.3%) and increased (P < 0.01) in vitro organic matter (OM) digestion (38.6 vs. 51.2%) of the hay. Molasses supplementation (25% of the dietary dry matter) of untreated hay increased (P < 0.05) in vivo OM digestibility by cattle (51.1 vs. 56.8%), but NDF digestibility of untreated hay was reduced (P < 0.05) by molasses supplementation (59.6 vs. 54.6%). Ammoniation increased (P < 0.05) OM (61.6%) and NDF (73.2%) digestibilities compared to untreated hay fed alone or supplemented with molasses. Gestating Brahman crossbred (Bos spp.) first-calf heifers (800 lb) were placed on bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Fluegge) pasture during the winter and fed (i) untreated hay plus a 16% crude protein molasses-urea supplement, or (ii) ammoniated hay alone. First-calf heifers fed ammoniated hay consumed more (P < 0.05) hay (18.5 vs. 23.5 lb), lost less (P < 0.05) weight during lactation and weaned heavier calves (P < 0.05) than those fed untreated hay plus molasses-urea. Milk production measured from approximately 60 to 150 d postpartum from first-calf heifers fed ammoniated hay remained constant (P > 0.10; 11.4 lb/d), while milk production from first-calf heifers fed untreated hay plus molasses-urea declined (P < 0.05; 14.0 to 5.2 lb/d) during lactation. No toxic effects of ammoniated hay were observed in first-calf heifers or their calves. Ammoniation improves the feeding value of stargrass hay, and offers an option to traditional winter feeding programs of untreated forage plus molasses-urea.

Effect of level of meat-and-bone meal and pasture type on milk yield and composition of cows grazing tropical pastures

An experiment was conducted with Holstein-Friesian cows to determine the effect on milk yield and composition of feeding different amounts of meat-and-bone meal (MBM). Thirty-two cows grazed either tropical grass pastures fertilised with nitrogen (GN) or tropical grass-legume pasture (GL). Cows were offered 2.5 kg DM/day of a molasses supplement incorporating 1 of 4 levels of MBM: 0, 250, 500 or 750 g DM/day. The experiment was conducted over the first 160 days of lactation. With GN pastures, fat-corrected milk (FCM) yield (kg/cow.day) for days 1-160 of lactation was linearly related to the intake of MBM (kg DM/cow.day) and was described by the equation FCM = 14.0 + 1.84 MBM (P&lt;0.01, R2 = 0.95). Most of this response occurred in the first 100 days of lactation, when significant I (P&lt;0.05) relationships between milk yield, FCM yield and intake of MBM were found. Milk yield and FCM yield of cows grazing grass-legume pastures were increased by feeding MBM, but the FCM response was a mean of 32% less than with the nitrogen-fertilised pasture and non-significant at the 5% confidence level. The following mean values over 160 days were recorded for cows on GN and GL pastures, respectively: milk yield, 15.8 and 17.4 kg/day; FCM yield, 14.6 and 16.7 kg/day; butterfat, 3.54 and 3.69%; solids-not-fat, 8.40 and 8.59%; lactose, 4.91 and 4.95%. It was concluded that a MBM supplement will increase the milk yield for cows grazing nitrogen-fertilised pastures, but only during early lactation.

Utilization of urea and molasses supplements by cattle grazing cereal stubbles

Responses of cattle to urea and molasses supplements while grazing cereal crop stubbles were studied in two experiments.In experiment 1,2.5-year-old Friesian cows in early pregnancy grazed an oat stubble (6800 kg DM ha-1) for 12 weeks at a stocking rate of 3.8 cows ha-1. In addition, some were offered liquid supplements of molasses, or urea-molasses. Liveweight gain (mean 18 kg) was not significantly different between treatments during the first 6 weeks. Thereafter, unsupplemented cows lost weight at 1.6 kg day-1 compared with 0.5 kg day-1 for supplemented cows (P(0.05).In experiment 2, 1.5-year-old Angus X Friesian cows in early pregnancy, and rumen-fistulated Friesian steers, were grazed on wheat stubble for 15 weeks and were unsupplemented, or offered supplements of a urea-mineral block, a molasses lick, or a urea-molasses lick. The stubble initially contained c. 6000 kg DM ha-1 of crop residues, and at all times at least 100 kg DM ha-1 of mainly green stemmy weeds of digestibility (0.45. The diet selected contained &gt;50% dead plant material except during the final week, and ranged in digestibility from 0.53 initially to 0.31 in the 12th week.Intakes of all supplements were highly variable among individuals with coefficients of variation usually &gt;50%. Mean intakes of digestible organic matter (DOM) were generally increased by supplementation.During the first 11 weeks, mean liveweight gains ranged from 3.5 to 27 kg for the unsupplemented and urea-mineral block fed cattle. respectively, but thereafter all cattle lost weight rapidly (mean 1.33 kg day-1).Mean concentrations of rumen volatile fatty acids (VFA) fell during the experiment from 80.3 to 47.4, and from 90.9 to 56.4 mmol l-1 in the unsupplemented and supplemented steers, respectively. Rumen VFA levels were not related to molasses or urea intakes, and overall there was no relationship between liveweight change and levels of VFA in the rumen. Mean rumen ammonia levels, which were generally &lt; 100 mg N l-1 in unsupplemented and molasses-fed steers, were increased by both urea supplements, particularly in the second half of the experiment.Although various parameters indicated likely deficiencies of energy and N in the diet, these supplements were generally of little benefit to cattle grazing cereal stubbles.

Effects of sulfur and different sources and levels of nitrogen and energy on the intake and liveweight change of steers fed tropical native pasture hay

Weaner steers were fed low quality native pasture hay in pens for 84 days to determine the differences in response to supplements of molasses (280 g/steer.day) and grain sorghum (265 g/steer.day), fed with urea (45 g/steer.day), and to determine the role of sulfur in these differences. The control group consumed 1.63 kg/steer.day organic matter (OM) and lost 277 g/steer.day over the feeding period. Supplements of urea alone or urea + grain did not affect hay intake or liveweight performance but both parameters were markedly improved by supplements of urea + molasses and urea + sodium sulfate. It was concluded that sulfur, in addition to urea, was necessary to increase feed intake and reduce liveweight loss in steers fed the low-protein pasture hay. With an increase in molasses intake from 280 to 1120 g/ steer.day, total OM intake remained constant while roughage OM intake declined (P&gt; 0.05). At the higher molasses intake both roughage and total OM intakes were greater when 37 g/steer.day of supplemental nitroin-was fed (P&gt;0.05), suggesting that energy substitution could be countered by ensuring a non-limiting nitrogen supply. Urea, meat and bone meal or the combination of the 2 were equally effective as the nitrogen source. In a second experiment weaner steers were fed a similar hay in pens for 56 days to compare the effects of either urea or protein meal as the nitrogen source in molasses. Molasses was fed at 1120 g/steer.day. The protein meal was a formaldehyde-treated mix of cottonseed meal, meat and bone meal and fish meal (8:1:1). Unsupplemented animals consumed 2.86 kg/ steer.day OM and lost 210 g/steer.day liveweight. Total OM intake was increased similarly by both nitrogen sources (P&lt;0.05) but, whereas steers fed urea-molasses maintained weight, those given urea molasses plus the formaldehyde-treated protein meal gained weight at 163 g/steer.day (P&lt;0.05). The advantage of providing a protein source protected from rumen degradation was demonstrated.

Enhanced degradation of 3-nitropropanol by ruminal microorganisms.

Ruminal fluid was obtained over a 4-yr period from cattle on various diets and supplements to determine the effects of different inocula on the microbial degradation of 3-nitropropanol (NPOH), a toxic metabolite in certain Astragalus spp. (Leguminosae). Nitrite (NO2-) metabolism was also studied in vitro because rapid NO2- reduction is required for the overall detoxification of NPOH. Intra-ruminal supplements of sulfite were ineffective and produced toxic signs in treated animals. Ruminal fluid from cattle on fresh pasture diets enhanced the in vitro metabolism of NO2-, but rates of NPOH disappearance were not significantly affected. Rates of NPOH degradation increased when orchardgrass pasturage was supplemented with molasses. Enhancement of NPOH degradation was achieved with supplements of nitroethane given intra-ruminally at 6.5 or 10 mg/kg body weight. The effect of nitroethane on NO2- reduction was not always observed, but the NO2- rates of metabolism always exceeded those of NPOH. The rate of NPOH degradation also increased when nitroethane was added to a molasses supplement. However, the volatility of nitroethane under field conditions prompted a search for a more stable inducer and the sodium salt of nitroethane was subsequently evaluated. The salt of nitroethane, given intra-ruminally at 20 mg nitroethane/kg body weight, resulted in the highest rate of NPOH degradation; this was similar to that reported for 3-nitropropionic acid, a nitroalkane that is much less toxic to ruminants than NPOH.

Effect of calf weaning age and cow supplementation on cow productivity.

Five years of data were collected on 124 Brangus-type cows to evaluate weaning calves at 8.5 or 10.5 mo of age and winter supplementation of the brood cow with 2.25 kg of molasses daily. Cows with calves weaned at 10.5 mg of age gained 14 kg less weight (P less than .01) during the late nursing period than did cows from which calves were earlier weaned. Age of calf at weaning had no effect on cow reproduction, but calves weaned at 10.5 mo were 2 to 3 d younger (P less than .06) and 5.3 kg lighter (P less than .05) at 8.5 mo of age. During the last 2 mo of nursing, calves weaned at 10.5 mo of age gained 37.2 kg and had a 31.9-kg heavier weaning weight than calves weaned at 8.5 mo of age. Molasses supplementation resulted in differences (P less than .01) in cow weight changes. Cows fed molasses had calving percentages 5 to 7 units higher (P less than .30) than cows not fed molasses. Feeding cows molasses for 145 d throughout the calving and breeding season increased calf weaning weight 7.7 (P less than .02) and 11.2 (P less than .03) kg, respectively, at 8.5 and 10.5 mo of age over the nonsupplemented controls.

Effects of molasses on mimosine metabolism in goats fed fresh and dried Leucaena with barley straw

The effect of molasses supplementation on the metabolism and excretion of mimosine by goats was studied. Goats were fed barley straw and Leucaena (31.0 g mimosine kg-1 dry matter) throughout experiment 1 with and without a molasses supplement (400 g day-1). Four groups of four goats fed barley straw (13 days) were supplemented with either 0, 100, 200 or 400 g molasses day-1 for 6 days (experiment 2). Two goats on each molasses treatment were then offered similar quantities of Leucaena dry matter (DM) (10.0 g mimosine kg-1 DM) as either fresh or dried material for a further 18 days. Unsupplemented goats excreted appreciable quantities of mimosine and 3-hydroxy-4-(1H)-pyridone (DHP) in faeces. In experiment 1, 57% of the ingested mimosine was recovered, principally as conjugated DHP, in faeces and urine of goats supplemented with molasses, compared to 39% for unsupplemented goats. Molasses supplementation also increased the faecal excretion of conjugated DHP in experiment 2, particularly with goats fed dried Leucaena. Urinary excretion of mimosine in all goats was largely as conjugated DHP (negligible free DHP). The highest outputs of conjugated DHP in urine were associated with greater reductions in serum T4 levels, but 400 g of molasses supplement in experiment 2 prevented depressions in serum T4 levels. In both experiments a considerable proportion (c. 40%) of the ingested mimosine was not excreted.

The effect of cattle tick (Boophilus microplus) on the growth of Bos indicus × B. taurus steers

The effect of the tick Boophilus microplus on the liveweight of Bos indicus x B. tauvus steers was investigated using three levels of infestation during summer 1980, autumn-winter 1980 and summer 1981. Mean losses in liveweight per engorged female tick during each of the three periods were 0.72,0.47 and 1.52 gper tick respectively. The 1980 estimates were significantly lower (P &lt; 0.05) than that in summer 1981, and the losses were independent of tick density. The loss per tick was unaffected by a supplement of molasses and urea in the autumn-winter period. Compensatory growth of those steers whose earlier growth was retarded by poor nutrition or ticks was investigated by keeping all the steers tick-free during spring. The previous medium and high tick groups gained 5-6 kg per animal more than the low group. Non-supplemented animals recovered all of their 14 kg disadvantage compared with the supplemented group. Mean tick survival rates varied from 9% in summer 1980 to 25% in autumn and 2% in summer 1981. They were reduced at higher densities but were unaffected by the nutritional supplement. The large variation in losses in liveweight per tick on these animals on the same pastures at different times suggests that differences in published estimates are frequently due to animal variation rather than to nutrition, cattle breed or environment. Economic thresholds were calculated for a range of effects of ticks and of chemical control costs. With a mean loss of 0.6 g per tick and 1983 dipping costs of $A1.35, the economic threshold is 158 ticks engorging per day per animal, assuming a kill of 97 %.

Cottonseed meal and molasses as sources of protein and energy for cattle offered low quality hay from pastures of the North Coast of New South Wales

Cottonseed meal and molasses, regarded as sources of protein and energy for cattle, were included with a basal ration of low quality pasture hay and fed to beef cattle in an experiment that contained two periods of 50 d each. The hay was made from a pasture consisting predominantly of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana). The pasture site was on the North Coast of New South Wales with a subtropical climate and an area where cattle lose liveweight during the winter or cool-dry season. The experiment aimed at determining whether the intake of hay, and liveweight of cattle, could be increased by supplements of either cottonseed meal or molasses or both. The experimental design was based on a response-surface with 12 treatment combinations. Twenty-four Hereford steers, aged about 26 months and having a mean liveweight of 315 � 28 kg were used. They were offered the low quality hay (435 g digestible organic matter (DOM)/kg dry matter (DM); 7.3 g nitrogen (N)/kg DM) in amounts expected to be 15% greater than that eaten. Fixed amounts of the energy supplement (undiluted molasses) were offered in separate containers at 0,0.5, 1.3 and 2.1 kg/d. Cotttonseed meal (930 g organic matter (0M)lkg DM) was added to the hay to raise the N content of the ration from the 7.3 g N/kg DM of the basal ration (A) to 14.1 (B), 19.4 (C) and 25.7 (D) g N/kg DM. Steers on ration C ate 19.3% more hay (P c 0.05) than steers on ration A; steers on rations B and D ate 11.0 and 14.5%, respectively, more hay than steers on ration A ( P &lt; 0.10). Molasses had no significant effect on hay intake, but as did cottonseed meal, it increased steer liveweight. Final liveweight (LW: kg) was a function of the initial liveweight (IW: kg) and of the amount of supplements eaten (kg/d) for both cottonseed meal (CSM) and molasses (Mol). LW = 16.7(+ 11.0) + 5.9(+ 2.0)Mol + 38.3(� 5.6)CSM - 9.2(� 2.0)CSM2 + 0.88(� 0.03)IW; Residual standard deviation � 8.7. N balance, and excretion of N in faeces and urine, were increased (P &lt; 0.05) by cottonseed meal but not by molasses supplements. Liveweight change (LWC: g/d) was a function of N balance (NB: g/d). LWC = - 1 08.3(� 48.0) + 19.7(� 2.1 4)NB; Residual standard deviation � 243. Liveweight change was also a function of the digestible organic matter intake (D0MI:gld) from the total ration. LWC = - 996(� 104) + 0.364(� 0.032)DOMI; Residual standard deviation � 182. The results highlight the limitation to cattle growth imposed by the low N intake from the pasture hay, and a consequent low intake of DOM. They suggest that cottonseed meal is a suitable source of protein for cattle on the North Coast although in districts growing sugar cane economics may favour the use of molasses as an energy source provided that some protein is added to it

Studies on the supplementary feeding of sheep consuming mulga (Acacia aneura). 5. The effect of cobalt and cottonseed meal supplementation

In the first experiment designed to identify the deficiencies in mulga leaves, four groups of sheep were fed mulga and offered one of the following supplements; cobalt, sulfur, cobalt plus sulfur, and molasses. A fifth group acted as a control. All sheep received a phosphorus supplement. The cobalt supplement had no beneficial effect on liveweight or clean wool production. In contrast, the sulfur and molasses supplements significantly improved liveweight gain, clean wool production and sulfur balance. The liveweight and wool growth responses were more than twice as large in the sheep receiving a molasses supplement as in those receiving sulfur. In a second experiment, three groups of sheep on a diet of mulga leaves were supplemented with molasses and phosphorus and, in addition, two groups received 50 g/head.d of either formaldehyde treated or untreated cottonseed meal. Both cottonseed meal supplements significantly improved liveweight gain, but formaldehyde treatment of the meal had no additional effect. Under the conditions of the experiment rumen ammonia was a major limiting nutrient.

Effects of supplements of urea, molasses and sodium sulfate on the intake and liveweight of steers fed rice straw

A pen feeding experiment was conducted in which steers were fed rice straw (0.68% nitrogen, 0.09% sulfur, dry matter basis) with urea alone; urea and molasses, or sodium sulfate; or all three supplements. The role of rice straw as a drought ration, and the effects of the supplements on intake and liveweight, were examined. Urea alone increased roughage organic matter intake by 14% (P=0.07) and total organic matter intake by 16% (P&lt;0.05). Addition of molasses or sodium sulfate or both to the rice straw had no significant effect on intake (P&gt;0.05). A urea supplement reduced liveweight loss from 149 to 86 g/head.d (P&lt;0.05). In general, the small amounts of molasses and sodium sulfate had little effect on liveweight.

Supplementation of sheep grazing wheat stubble with urea, molasses and minerals: quality of diet, intake of supplements and animal response

Supplements of urea, molasses and minerals were offered for 15 weeks to mature crossbred wethers grazing wheat stubble at Condobolin in central New South Wales. The sheep were then grazed without supplements on a phalaris-subterranean clover pasture for a further five weeks. On the wheat stubble, dead crop residues amounted to more than 4000 kg DM ha-1 and constituted 95% or more of the available plant material throughout the experiment. Diets selected by the sheep contained significant amounts of grain or green plant material only during the first six weeks, while the proportion of dead plant material increased from 66% to 98% of the diet as the experiment progressed. Supplementation had no effect on diet selection. All sheep gained some weight during the first six weeks of stubble grazing, and thereafter lost weight. This loss was reduced from 0.66 kg week-1 to 0.47 kg week-1 with a mineral block supplement, and to 0.37 kg week-1 with supplements of a mineral/urea block, or molasses or molasses/urea licks. Significant differences in mean liveweight occurred between unsupplemented sheep and those offered a mineral/urea block, or a molasses lick. These differences were reduced by half after five weeks on green pasture, due to compensatory gain. Supplementation had no effect on wool production, or on the amount of dead plant material utilized for animal production, which amounted to a mean of about 10% of the quantity initially available. Mean intakes of supplement by groups were close to the desired amounts, i.e. 10 g urea or 50 g molasses sheep-1 day-1, or both, but for all supplements intake varied widely among individual sheep, with the coefficient of variation exceeding 40% in more than half of the recordings. Apart from special circumstances where reduced rates of weight loss may be important, it seems that little benefit will be gained from feeding urea, molasses or mineral supplements to sheep grazing crop stubbles.