Cane Molasses on Nitrogen and Energy Utilization

T HREE switchback metabolism studies were conducted to study the effects of replacing corn with 5, 10 and 15% cane molasses. Five percent molasses had no significant effect on any of the parameters studied. At 10 and 15% molasses added at the expense of corn in the basal ration, nitrogen retention and apparent digestibility of dry matter and energy were all significantly improved (P< .05) . The total quantity and percent butyric acid in the rumen was significantly increased when the 15% molasses ration was fed. Other parameters were unchanged when either 10 or 15% molasses was added to the basal ration. I t is suggested that perhaps cane molasses need not be assigned an energy value lower than corn when fed in limited quantities and in the type of ration used in this study.