Molasses: a sugar-rich liquid for livestock feed
Molasses is the thick, sugar-rich liquid left after extracting sugar from sugar beet or sugar cane. It supplies concentrated energy from soluble sugars and is often added to concentrates or liquid supplements to make them more palatable. Its dry matter, sugar and mineral content depend on where it comes from and how it is processed.
How do you include molasses in a ration?
Use the molasses dry matter content to work out how much it contributes to the ration. Convert the daily weight added to the mixed feed into dry matter, then include its energy and sugar in the daily totals.
Questions from the farm
Why convert molasses to dry matter?
Dry matter lets you compare molasses with forage and concentrates fairly. Its water content varies, so the daily amount needs the same basis.
How HerdMobile helps
Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.
HerdMobile helps you calculate a daily ration with your own feeds, including molasses. Use its dry matter analysis to compare it fairly with forage and concentrates. Keep the sugar and potassium results handy too: sugar affects the ration’s sugar supply, while potassium affects its mineral balance.
