Seasonal Molasses Usage

The sugars in molasses are broken down quickly and extensively by rumen microbes. This rapid release of energy makes molasses very useful for ‘balancing’ other feeds in the dairy diet all year round.

Molasses is an excellent complementary feed to provide the herd in times when there is:-

Lush high protein grasses that contain high levels of rumen degradable protein. When pasture protein levels are high, sugar levels tend to be low. This ‘mismatch’ of protein and fermentable energy can produce lots of ammonia in the rumen. Ammonia is excreted as urea in the animals’ urine, often seen as ‘scald’ patches on pasture. The detoxification and excretion of ammonia is an energetically costly process for the cow, which can reduce milk production and live weight gain. High ammonia and urea can also cause problems with conception rates at mating. Molasses is an excellent balancing feed that complements high protein grass, because molasses contains low levels of protein and high levels of sugars. More sugars in the rumen can dilute the total protein intake and potentially improve the microbial harvest of rumen ammonia.

Poor quality silages that contain high levels of rumen degradable protein (high levels of ammonia). Feed tests of poorly made wet silages usually show high levels of ammonia and very low levels of sugar. Molasses is a very useful feed that helps the rumen microbes ‘capture’ and turn ammonia into microbial protein. Microbial protein is converted to milk protein or to live weight gain.

Poor quality, rank pastures, hay or silage. Poor quality roughages such as hays or crop stubble are poorly digestible (low ME). Molasses provides readily available energy as quickly fermentable sugars that can help rumen microbes utilise poor quality feeds. Molasses can also provide a vehicle for the effective inclusion of urea in the diet. The combination of Non Protein Nitrogen (NPN) in urea and soluble carbohydrates in molasses allow the rumen microbes to convert NPN and sugars to microbial protein.

Molasses can be feed as an additive to improve appetite and feed intake when there is a need to:-

Mask unpalatable feed additives. The palatability and acceptance of molasses is extremely high, due to the very high sugar content. Sometimes we need to feed unpalatable additives to stock, such as magnesium chloride or urea. Adding highly palatable molasses can help maintain good feed intakes by masking the flavour of other less palatable additives.

Drive up appetite. Molasses is also useful for encouraging stock to eat when appetite is poor, for example, springing or freshly calved cows.

Train cows to new feeds. Adding molasses to feeds that animals haven’t seen before helps the smooth transition of stock onto new feeds.

Encourage higher intakes of poor quality silages. Adding molasses to poor quality grass, lucerne or cereal silages can improve the palatability, intake and utilisation of silages by ruminants.

 

Why feed through the seasons?

Molasses & its blends have a role in maximizing cow performance & farm production all year round. Every seasonal stage from the Dry period in early winter through to Mid Lactation in the hot heat of summer, molasses fed to cows will improve digestion of pastures; help maintain body condition & appetite, increase milk production leading to extra days in milk.

 

winter

Dry Period

In early winter, when there is a lack of good quality pasture,cows fed with molasses will be healthier, well prepared for calving and in better condition to face winter.

• Why feed molasses during the dry period
• Provide energy to maintain cow condition pre-calving
• Act as a carrier to supply other nutrients and minerals to help balance other feeds in the diet
• Balance other feeds in the diet
• Ideal for ‘at-risk’ cows to aid in the prevention of metabolic disease e.g. Hypocalcaemia (milk fever), Hypomagnesemia and Ketosis
• Stimulate appetite ready for calving

Transition Period

It is important to fully feed the springing cow. Cows fed molasses in transition diets before calving, helps drive appetite after calving to maximise milk production.

Why transition feeding is important

 

• Supplies an energy dense feed for neonatal calf energy
• Helps prepare the rumen for milking type feeds
• Drives appetite to encourage higher feed intakes post-calving
• Optimises Dietary Cation Anion Difference (DCAD) to aid in the prevention of metabolic disease in ‘at-risk’ cows, e.g. Hypocalcaemia (milk fever), Hypomagnesemia and Ketosis

Early Lactation Period

In early spring, pasture quantity and quality can vary greatly. Cows fed molasses during this time will have increased energy and more efficient utilisation of feed.

How molasses helps during early lactation

 

• Acts as a carrier for either calcium or magnesium
• Drives appetite to maximise feed intakes
• Balances other feeds in the diet
• Provides liquid energy to aid in the prevention of Ketosis
• Maintains energy level pre and during mating
• Helps maintain body condition

 

 

spring

Early Lactation Period

Most cows will have calved and are eating to peak appetite for maximum milk production. Focus on maintaining body condition for improved feed conversion efficiency, reproduction and health.

How molasses helps during early lactation

 

• Helps drive up appetite for maximum milk production
• Maximises rumen function to minimise condition loss
• Improves energy levels before and during mating
• Dilutes excess grass protein
• Balances low pasture sugar and DM% levels
• Blend with Rumensin® to aid in the prevention of metabolic issues e.g. Ketosis, Bloat

 

 

summer

Mid Lactation

In the hot dry heat of summer, molasses fed to cows will improve digestion of high fibre summer pastures and help to maintain body condition and appetite. Increased milk production persistency will lead to extra days in milk.

Why feeding molasses is important

 

• Maintains milk production persistency
• Improves the feed value of high NDF feeds e.g. PKE, silages
• Maintains appetite and body condition
• Maintains energy levels post mating
• Provides a consistent, reliable and instant rumen bug energy source for improved rumen function
• Blend with zinc oxide for facial eczema prevention

 

autumn

LATE LACTATION

It is important cows regain body condition whilst milking but before drying off. Milking cows fed molasses will gain weight more efficiently and be better prepared for the next lactation.

How feeding molasses can help

 

• Maximise days in milk while gaining weight
• Regain lost weight, targeting ‘calving’ weight at dry off
• Balance high NDF late summer pastures
• Balance Autumn “flush”, high protein pastures
• Blend with Rumensin® to improve efficiency of cow condition gain
• Blend with Zinc Oxide for facial eczema prevention