Molasses | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Molasses Overview

• Molasses is a concentrated water solution of sugars, hemicelluloses, and minerals, typically a by-product of processing plant materials.
• Types of molasses include those derived from cane sugar, sugar beet, citrus waste, and by-products of paper and wood processing.

• Molasses is rich in monosaccharides, disaccharides (55-60%), protein (1-3%), and minerals.
• It contains nutrients like niacin, pantothenic acid, trace minerals, and vitamin E, with variations based on cane quality and processing methods.

• Molasses serves as an affordable energy source for livestock and poultry, with 25-30 kg obtained for every 100 kg of refined sugar.
• Its incorporation in animal rations helps in enhancing palatability, reducing dustiness, and providing energy.

• The mixture, including water, urea, molasses, salt, and mineral mix, is used to fortify low-nutrient straws for cattle feed.
• Proper mixing and storage methods are essential for its effectiveness in improving the nutritional value of feed.

• Urea can serve as a non-protein nitrogen source when combined with fermentable carbohydrates like maize or molasses.
• Its conversion in the rumen by microbial action aids in the synthesis of protein, but excess urea can lead to toxicity.

Fermenting and Germinating Methods in Animal Nutrition

• Certain B-complex group vitamins are produced through fermentation.
• Animals should be fed with 100 to 120 g per day, with 20-25 g urea per 100 kg body weight, combined with easily fermentable carbohydrates to maintain rumen pH below 6.
• Urea should be given in small amounts two or three times a day, not all at once for optimal benefits.

• Grains are soaked in water, tied in a cloth, and kept in the shade for germination to occur.
• This process cannot be scaled up commercially but can be undertaken in rural dairy settings.
• Germination enhances the nutritional value of grains, providing a 'grass juice factor' when green fodder is scarce.

• Uromol is a compound made by heating a mixture of urea and molasses at 110°C in a 1:9 ratio.
• It can substitute oilseed cakes as a dietary nitrogen source for ruminants, improving efficiency and safety.
• A mixture of 4 kg urea, 12 kg molasses, and 15 kg rice bran yields a nutritionally rich blend with 30% DCP and 72% TDN.