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Liquid Molasses-Urea or Biuret (NPN) Feed Supplements for Beef Cattle: Wintering Performance, Ruminal Differences and Feeding Patterns

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

Abstract

Three wintering trials and two eating behavior trials were conducted to determine the value of liquid molasses plus either urea or biuret when fed with timothy hay to beef cows and yearlings and also when fed with an alfalfa: timothy mixed hay to beef calves. Supplements and hay were offered free choice in all trials.

In general, hay consumption was less when molasses was fed and molasses intake tended to be greater when urea and biuret (NPN) were not included in the supplement. Increased energy and protein intakes, when associated with molasses feeding, were not reflected in body weight changes.

Ruminal ammonia in the yearling animals was different (P<.01) among all diets and the mean values were in descending order: hay, hay and molasses plus biuret, hay and molasses plus urea, hay and molasses. The supplemented yearlings were lower in acetic and higher in butyric acids than the unsupplemented yearlings. The general trend in both cows and yearlings was for the isoacids and valeric acid to be lower when molasses supplements were fed.

An average of 62% of the time at the feeder occurred between 0600 and 1800 hours. When given a choice, intake and time at the feeder were greater (P<.05) for the molasses plus urea supplement than the molasses and molasses plus biuret supplements indicating a preference for the molasses-urea supplement.

The results indicate that under the conditions of this study molasses supplements with a low level of NPN fed free choice with a poor quality hay, do not consistently improve animal performance.

² Nutrition Institute, Ruminant Nutrition Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S.D.A.

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