Molasses used as livestock feeds
LIVESTOCK farmers can now heave a sigh of relief. A new livestock supplement, the Urea Molasses Multinutrient Bloc (UMMB) has been developed.
By Barbara Ajilong
LIVESTOCK farmers can now heave a sigh of relief. A new livestock supplement, the Urea Molasses Multinutrient Bloc (UMMB) has been developed.
The bloc, the brainchild of the department of Animal Science, Makerere University, is composed of urea, molasses, vitamins and multinutrients.
Prof. Felix Bareeba, an animal scientist in the department says, the molasses provide a range of minerals and a complete mixture of vitamins. While urea provides small amounts of nitrogen required for the utilisation of dry matter in addition to that present in the forage.
“A supplement containing urea and molasses stimulates the development of bacteria in the rumen (stomach of the animal), permitting a better digestion of grass and greater production of microbial proteins which could provide essential amino acids in the intestines. Besides, the bloc is sweet for the animals,†says Prof. Bareeba. “A standard UMMB consists of molasses 30-50%, urea 5-10%, a cereal bran such as rice, wheat or maize bran (15-25%), an oil seed meal such as cottonseed cake, sunflower cake or soybean meal (10-20%), salt (5-7%), lime or cement (5-10%) and minerals (1-2%).â€
Cattle and goats mainly depend on feeds consisting of grass and crop residue like banana peelings. These are often of poor quality and deficient in protein, and minerals.
“During the dry season, the nutrient content of grass often falls and milk production is affected. Giving livestock the bloc to lick helps increase the production of milk while providing energy and nutrients for the animals,†Bareeba explains.
This bloc is particularly useful in the dry regions like Karamoja where there is shortage of grass due to drought.
Prof. Bareeba says this technology has been used successfully in Asia and Sudan.
The UMMB ingredients are agro-industrial by-products and are locally available. Molasses is a by-product of sugar and can be got cheaply from the sugar industries. Urea is sold as a grade fertiliser. Farmers can easily make the bloc.
“Mix molasses with urea, salt and minerals. Mix little water with cement, make a paste, then add to the first mixture. Add bran. Mould into required shape. The mould takes about 48 hours to harden. If it is soft, the animal can bite a big chunk and get urea poisoningâ€, says Prof Bareeba. “A cow can consume about 500gms while a goat 1000gms.â€
The blocs however come with specific instructions for their use.
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LIVESTOCK farmers can now heave a sigh of relief. A new livestock supplement, the Urea Molasses Multinutrient Bloc (UMMB) has been developed.
The bloc, the brainchild of the department of Animal Science, Makerere University, is composed of urea, molasses, vitamins and multinutrients.
Prof. Felix Bareeba, an animal scientist in the department says, the molasses provide a range of minerals and a complete mixture of vitamins. While urea provides small amounts of nitrogen required for the utilisation of dry matter in addition to that present in the forage.
“A supplement containing urea and molasses stimulates the development of bacteria in the rumen (stomach of the animal), permitting a better digestion of grass and greater production of microbial proteins which could provide essential amino acids in the intestines. Besides, the bloc is sweet for the animals,†says Prof. Bareeba. “A standard UMMB consists of molasses 30-50%, urea 5-10%, a cereal bran such as rice, wheat or maize bran (15-25%), an oil seed meal such as cottonseed cake, sunflower cake or soybean meal (10-20%), salt (5-7%), lime or cement (5-10%) and minerals (1-2%).â€
Cattle and goats mainly depend on feeds consisting of grass and crop residue like banana peelings. These are often of poor quality and deficient in protein, and minerals.
“During the dry season, the nutrient content of grass often falls and milk production is affected. Giving livestock the bloc to lick helps increase the production of milk while providing energy and nutrients for the animals,†Bareeba explains.
This bloc is particularly useful in the dry regions like Karamoja where there is shortage of grass due to drought.
Prof. Bareeba says this technology has been used successfully in Asia and Sudan.
The UMMB ingredients are agro-industrial by-products and are locally available. Molasses is a by-product of sugar and can be got cheaply from the sugar industries. Urea is sold as a grade fertiliser. Farmers can easily make the bloc.
“Mix molasses with urea, salt and minerals. Mix little water with cement, make a paste, then add to the first mixture. Add bran. Mould into required shape. The mould takes about 48 hours to harden. If it is soft, the animal can bite a big chunk and get urea poisoningâ€, says Prof Bareeba. “A cow can consume about 500gms while a goat 1000gms.â€
The blocs however come with specific instructions for their use.
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