Urea Molasses Research Articles

Pharmacokinetics and efficacy of long-term low-level administration of triclabendazole in urea molasses blocks against induced bovine and bubaline fasciolosis

The pharmacokinetics and flukicidal efficacy of triclabendazole delivered in low doses on a daily basis through urea molasses blocks were studied in cattle and buffaloes experimentally infected with Fasciola gigantica. The observations were compared with single therapeutic doses at 12.0 and 24.0 mg/kg body weight in cattle and buffaloes, respectively, prior to becoming experimentally infected. After receipt of triclabendazole by cattle and buffaloes at 0.83 and 3.0 mg/kg body weight, respectively, on a daily basis, both the animal species exhibited equilibrium between its absorption and disposition of its metabolites in plasma on day 4 and remained almost unchanged thereafter. The continuous subtherapeutic dosing of triclabendazole through urea molasses block at 0.83 mg/kg body weight in cattle and 3.0 mg/kg body weight in buffalo proved to be efficacious against mature liver flukes.

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.

Use of varying combinations of energy and protein sources as supplementary feed for lambing ewes grazing cereal stubble

Summary. Three feeding trials compared production of lambing ewes grazing stubbles and fed different combinations of energy and protein supplements as loose licks. Each experiment had 2 treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Experiment 1 compared urea (12.5 g/ewe. day) with fish meal (100 g/ewe. day) when fed with molasses (100 g/ewe. day) for 38 days during late pregnancy. Fish meal increased liveweight gain (from 2.0 to 5.7 kg) and wool growth (20%) but urea had no effect. In experiment 2, urea (12.5 g/ewe. day) was fed in combination with molasses (200 g/ewe. day) or barley meal (200 g/ewe. day) for 63 days during late pregnancy (last 6 weeks) and early lactation. Ewes supplemented with the barley–urea combination gained 5.6 kg during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy compared with 0.40 kg for barley and the 1.02 and 1.34 kg weight loss for ewes receiving molasses and the molasses–urea combination, respectively. Experiment 3 compared urea (12.5 g/ewe. day) with sweet lupin meal (106 g/ewe. day) when fed with barley meal (200 g/ewe. day) for 56 days during late pregnancy (last 4 weeks) and lactation. Sweet lupin meal improved the liveweight change of ewes during pregnancy (from 160 to 200 g/ewe. day) as well as the birth weight of lambs (400 g) but urea had no effect. The performance of lambing ewes grazing low-quality pasture at a high stocking density (&gt;4.5 ewes/ha) for a long period (&gt;130 days) can be improved by relatively low amounts of supplements such as fish meal, sweet lupin meal and barley–urea.

Economic benefits of supplementing lambs with urea molasses blocks on ranges of Pakistan

Economic benefits of supplementing lambs with urea molasses blocks on ranges of Pakistan

Administration of fenbendazole in urea molasses block to dairy buffaloes in India.

A trial was conducted in a semi-organised buffalo farm in western India with strategic long-term low-level administration of fenbendazole incorporated medicated urea molasses blocks to understand its nematocidal efficacy and production response in buffaloes. Results indicated that the anthelmintic delivery system could effectively remove already established adult parasites and prevent larval establishment. The treated buffaloes produced more milk (P < 0.01) from 45 days onward with a net gain of 1.20 litre per day.

Methods to improve utilization of rice straw III. Effect of urea ammonia treatment and urea molasses blocks supplementation on intake, digestibility, rumen and blood parameters

Methods to improve utilization of rice straw III. Effect of urea ammonia treatment and urea molasses blocks supplementation on intake, digestibility, rumen and blood parameters

Nutrient Utilisation and Rumen Fermentation Pattern in Buffaloes fed Rations Supplemented with Formaldehyde Treated Urea Molasses Mineral Blocks

Abstract Mehra, U.R., Challa, J. and Singh, U.B. 1993. Nutrient utilisation and rumen fermentation pattern in buffaloes fed rations supplemented with formaldehyde treated urea molasses mineral blocks. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 4: 67–72. To overcome the problem of hygroscopic nature of urea molasses mineral blocks (UMMB), formaldehyde and phosphoric acid were added to these (FUMMB). Eight postulated male buffaloes weighing around 350 kg were divided into two groups and were offered the UMMB without or with formaldehyde and phosphoric acid as a lick. One kg wheat bran and ad libitum wheat straw were fed individually. The UMMB contained 37 parts sugarcane molasses, 10 parts each of urea, cement and fish meal, 32 parts wheat bran, 1 part common salt and 0.1 part vitablend. Besides these, 225 ml formaldehyde and 45 ml phosphoric acid per 100 kg block were added to FUMMB. Dry matter intake, digestibility and rumen fermentation pattern were similar in both the groups. As FUMMB was not found to be hygroscopic, it is r...

Comparison of rice polishings and a urea/sugar cane molasses mixture as supplements for low quality forage diets for ruminants

Tropical forages found in Colombia are of low quality. Mixtures of urea and sugar cane molasses (UM) have been used as a supplement to stimulate microbial growth in the rumen and to maximise the intake of such forages by ruminants. Rice polishings (RP), a locally available by-product, could provide an alternative supplement. The experiment described here was designed to compare UM with three increasing amounts of RP on rumen fermentation and voluntary intake of a basal low quality grass hay when fed to sheep.

Effect of consumption of molasses/urea blocks on the growth of housed bullocks fedAd libitum withPennisetum purpureum

Ten bullocks in individual pens were provided ad libitum with cut chopped pasture grass (Pennisetum purpureum). One group of five animals had access to a molasses/urea block (experimental group) and the other group of five did not (control group). Daily dry matter intakes of 5.04 kg/animal (control group) and 4.83 kg/animal (experimental group) were not significantly different. However the experimental group gained weight at a significantly (P less than 0.05) faster rate (514 g/animal per day) than the control group (346 g/animal per day). Food conversion efficiency was significantly (P less than 0.01) better in the experimental group (11.6 kg feed per kg weight gained) than in the control group (16.4 kg feed per kg weight gained). Mean daily intake of the molasses urea blocks was 206 g per animal.

A comparison of various methods of feeding supplements of urea, sulfur and molasses to weaner heifers during the dry season in northern Queensland

Over 3 dry seasons (1984-86), delivery systems of urea supplements were evaluated on weaner heifers grazing native pasture. Daily treatments per heifer were urea-ammonium sulfate (US) (28g + 6g), via the drinking water; urea-molasses (UM) (30g + 250g), via roller drum lick feeders; UM2 (60g + 1000g), via open troughs. Rainfall recordings were well above average in all dry seasons. The only liveweight response to supplementation occurred in 1986, during a dry period from June to October. During this period the liveweight performance of the US group was improved relative to the control group (+7 v. -57 g/heifer.day; P&lt;0.05). The response of the UM2 group (+82 g/heifer.day) exceeded (P&lt;0.05) that of all other groups. There was no response to the UM supplement (-51 g/heifer.day). Over the combined dry and following wet seasons the UM2 group grew faster (P&lt;0.05) than all other groups. Ammonia-nitrogen concentrations in the rumen fluid of heifers, measured in the 1984 and 1986 dry seasons, were very low for the control group (7-54 mg/L rumen fluid) but were much higher in the US group 2 h after drinking (108-152 mg/L). At 18 h after drinking, the ammonia-nitrogen concentration had declined markedly in the US group (30-54 mg/L) but, in 2 of 3 observations, was still higher than that of the controls (significantly in 1 case; P&lt;0.05).

Development of urea molasses block and its field appliation in India (A review)

Development of urea molasses block and its field appliation in India (A review)

Urea as a source of ammonia for improving the nutritive value of wheat straw

The effect of straw ammoniation using urea as a source of ammonia on nutritive value of wheat straw was evaluated with male sheep in two experiments of Latin square design. In Experiment 1 treatments were: untreated straw (S1), untreated straw supplemented with 20 g urea kg −1 air-dry straw at feeding time (SU1), straw treated with 30 g anhydrous ammonia kg −1 air-dry straw (AS), straw ensiled with 40 g urea kg −1 air-dry straw (US1) and straw ensiled with 40 g urea plus 10 g sodium hydroxide kg −1 air-dry straw (UCS). In Experiment 2 treatments were: untreated straw (S2), untreated straw supplemented with 20 g urea kg −1 air-dry straw at feeding time (SU2), untreated straw supplemented with 120 g kg −1 air-dry straw of a urea—molasses mixture at feeding time (SUM), straw ensiled with 40 g urea kg −1 air-dry straw (US2) and straw stacked with 40 g urea kg −1 air-dry straw (USS). Straw was chopped before ensiling, while whole rectangular bales were used in treatments AS and USS of Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Ammonia and urea treatments were carried out at ambient temperature and lasted 60 days. For all the treatments involving the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia (US1, UCS, US2 and USS) the moisture content of the straw was raised to ca. 40% by the addition of water. Straw in the long form was chopped prior to feeding. In all treatments straw was given as the sole feed, with a mineral supplement. In both experiments supplementation with urea or urea—molasses at feeding time significantly increased ( P<0.05) organic matter (OM) digestibility and digestible organic matter (DOM) intake over untreated straw by 47–72 g kg −1 and 4.9–6.2 g day −1 kg W −0.75, respectively. Treating straw by ensiling with urea raised OM digestibility and DOM intake further, the increments being 121–123 g kg −1 and 14.3–15.0 g day −1 kg W −0.75, respectively, over untreated straw. Digestibility of cell wall constituents was particularly enhanced by urea treatment. Urea treatment of stacked straw was less effective than urea treatment of ensiled straw. Anhydrous ammonia and urea treatment by ensiling promoted similar levels of DOM intake. Availability of retained nitrogen by ammoniated straws was high. It is concluded that urea can be an effective source of ammonia for straw treatment by ensiling.

Urea Levels and Supplemental Energy Sources in Sugarcane Diets

Two experiments, each involving a digestion-N balance trial and a feedlot trial, determined the replacement value of urea-corn meal (UC) for cottonseed meal (CSM) and the value of molasses in sugarcane diets. Steers fed 70% sugarcane-30% concentrate diets with 0, 28 or 56% of the dietary N as urea had a slight reduction (P<.28) in dry matter (DM) intake and an increase (P<.01) in crude protein digestibility as dietary urea increased. Urea level did not affect the digestibility of other dietary components. Urea N appeared to be utilized less efficiently than CSM N. In the feedlot, steers were fed 71% sugarcane-29% concentrate diets with 0, 25 or 50% of the dietary N as urea during a 93-d growing phase, then 39.5% sugarcane-60.5% concentrate diets with 0, 20 or 40% of the dietary N as urea, respectively, during a 63-d finishing phase. Growing steers fed urea gained slower (P<.01), consumed less DM and required more DM/kg of gain (P<.05). Dietary urea level did not affect gain, DM intake or DM utilization during finishing, nor did it affect carcass quality. Steers fed 70% sugarcane-30% concentrate diets, with urea and CSM as N supplements and molasses and corn as energy supplements to the high-urea diet, had higher DM digestibility (P<.01) for the urea-molasses (UM) supplemented diet than for the CSM diet. Digestibilities of all components of the UM and UC diets were similar. Retention of N was similar for steers fed the UC and CSM diets, but both groups retained more N than steers fed the UM diet. In the feedlot, steers fed the UM diet gained slower (P<.01) with lower efficiency than steers fed the CSM or UC diets. Performance of steers fed CSM or UC diets was similar. This study showed that urea was inferior to CSM as a crude protein source in sugarcane diets, especially when molasses was used as an energy supplement.

A note on in vivo comparison of a urea-formaldehyde-molasses complex and urea molasses mixes as sole nitrogen supplements to a wheat chaff ration for steers

ABSTRACTA urfia-formaldehyde-molasses complex appeared to be a promising slow ammonia-releasing urea derivative in in vitro studies. It was compared with urea-molasses mixtures as a non-protein nitrogen supplement to an ad libitum wheat chaff ration for steers. The significantly lower (P &lt; 0·01) crude protein digestibility and intake of digestible crude protein, and the non-significantly lower nitrogen retention on the urea-formaldehyde-molasses complex ration revealed the superiority of simple urea-molasses mixtures as a non-protein nitrogen supplement.

Selection of thermotolerant yeast strains for biomass production from sudanese molasses

Yeast isolates were obtained from different stages in the sugar refining process in an attempt to isolate thermotolerant strains which would grow on a molasses urea medium. Several strains which gave biomass yields of 30–41% at 40° were isolated and identified. Four of these strains were shown to be more resistant to a 15 minute incubation at 55° than three mesophilic strains.

Uromol as a source of dietary nitrogen for ruminants: metabolic and rumen fermentation studies on buffalo calves

SUMMARYThe nutritive value of uromol, a heated product of urea and molasses, was compared with raw urea–molasses and groundnut meal in three metabolic trials on buffalo calves. The non-protein nitrogen (NPN) as urea or uromol contributed about 65, 48 and 30% of the nitrogen in the experimental concentrate mixtures, replacing partially or completely the groundnut meal of the control diets. The results showed that at 65% nitrogen replacement, the crude fibre and cellulose digestibilities and the nitrogen retention of the uromol diet was similar to that of the control but was significantly (P &lt; 0·05) higher than the urea–molasses diet. At 48% nitrogen replacement the nitrogen retention in the uromol-fed animals was still significantly (P &lt; 0·05) higher than the urea–molasses fed group. At 30% nitrogen replacement, the differences between the control, urea–molasses and uromol groups were not significant.In vivo rumen studies with the diets containing 50% NPN replacement showed lower but sustained ammonia-N with uromol than the urea–molasses diet. The total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) in rumen fluid, though initially higher in the control and uromol groups, were not significantly different from the urea–molasses group. Abomasal studies with diets containing 65% N as urea or uromol indicated a higher total nitrogen content in the abomasal fluid of the control and uromol-fed animals than the urea-fed animals. The 24 h abomasal passage of total-N/100 g nitrogen consumed was 95·5, 93·5 and 77·9 g in control, uromol and urea groups, respectively. The TCA-precipitatable-N (TCA-N) was also higher in the first two groups. These studies suggest that uromol is safer and has a better feeding value than urea–molasses at high rates of nitrogen replacement.

The nutrition of ruminants grazing native and improved pastures. II.* Responses of grazing cattle to molasses and urea supplementation

Hereford heifers grazing native and fertilized phalaris pastures were supplemented with ureamolasses mixtures for 2 years. The liveweight of heifers grazing phalaris pastures did not respond to supplementation, but the liveweight gain of heifers grazing native pasture increased significantly by 6 g/day/g nitrogen consumed as urea during July, August and September and by 0.16 g/day/g digestible organic matter consumed as molasses at other times of year. Supplement consumption varied between animals, with a coefficient of variation of ±37%. Urea–molasses supplementation increased the rumen ammonia nitrogen levels of cattle grazing native pasture from 6.7 to 16.1 mg/100 ml. The application of superphosphate and introduction of white clover increased rumen ammonia nitrogen to 15.7 mg/100 ml. The effects of supplementation on liveweight gain were small relative to the changes which could be induced by pasture improvement. There was a curvilinear relationship between the digestibility of the diet and liveweight gain when pasture availability was not limiting intake. It was calculated from this relationship that the annual liveweight gains of cattle grazing native pasture, native pasture dressed with superphosphate and oversown with white clover, and two phalaris pastures were 223 498, 726 and 763 g/day respectively when forage was available ad libitum. ____________________ *Part I, Aust. J. Agric. Res., 29: 863 (1978).

The value of ethanol as a supplement to diet of straw, urea and molasses for sheep

The experiment was designed to see if any advantage was apparent that would justify the addition of ethanol to sheep diets containing oat straw supplemented with urea and molasses. Four sheep were offered an oat straw diet ad lib. with a molasses urea supplement. The treatment in the 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment consisted of the addition of 0, 4, 8, or 12 g of ethanol daily to the supplement. The following characteristics associated with each diet were measured : digestibility, rate of passage, rate of cellulose digestion in the rumen, food intake, nitrogen balance, and concentration of volatile fatty acids in the rumen. The only significant treatment effect was a faster rate of passage of food residues with the diet containing the highest level of ethanol compared with the diet containing no ethanol.