THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF CANE MOLASSES BLENDS AND SUGARS IN RUMINANT DIETS


By Dr Phil Holder, ED&F Man


A recent major conference drawing together speakers from leading research institutes confirmed that sugar in ruminant diets offers considerably more than just being an energy source. By better understanding more about the considerable variety of roles performed by sugars, it will be possible to improve rumen health and efficiency to help underpin dairy farm profitability.


As the leading supplier of cane molasses and liquid products for animal feed, fermentation and other industrial uses, we specialise in the sourcing, shipping, storage and distribution of cane molasses, molasses blends and liquid products. We therefore have a vested interested in the efficient and optimum use of molasses blends in ruminant diets. Given the volume and quality of new research into the role


of sugars in ruminant diets, this conference which I chaired gave 350 nutrition professionals from 10 countries, including a large UK contingent, the opportunity to explore how and why sugars can promote more efficient, and more profitable dairy cows. In feed production, for years, cane molasses has been seen simply


as a source of energy and as a binder but little more. Inclusion rates were kept to a minimum as molasses was seen as an expensive source of energy when compared to starch and included primarily as a binder and to ensure good pellet quality. The value of sugar and therefore molasses wasn’t appreciated in nutritional terms This situation is now changing. It is now understood that different


sugars are digested in different ways. The six carbon sugars such as sucrose and glucose, found in molasses blends are proven to be more benefi cial to ruminants than the fi ve carbon sugars found in fermentation co-products, wheat syrup, processed feeds and silages. A secondary role in both compound feeds and TMR diets was as


a way to improve palatability and de-dust rations to stimulate intakes. But the more we find out about cane molasses and sugars, the more it becomes clear they play a number of roles which together can help


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improve animal performance. It is important to appreciate that cane molasses is a complex


product which contains a number of compounds and substances in addition to sugars. The sugar fraction, which in standard cane molasses accounts for around 47% of the dry matter, is actually a blend of different sugars including sucrose and glucose. The remainder of the dry matter contains crude protein, starch, lactic acid and a range of other organic acids, all of which have an effect within the rumen (Table 1). Significantly, we can now describe over 97% of the dry matter, meaning we know more about how molasses delivers benefits in ruminant diets. The key to unlocking the full potential of molasses is understanding how it influences the rumen.


Rumen ecology and fermentation Research by Dr Paul Weimer at The University of Madison, Wisconsin shows that sugars have a significant impact on the rumen ecology. He pointed out that the rumen microbiota is a complex ecosystem and that different interactions among multiple species yield a network of interactions. The diet is the main driver of the composition of the microbial


community and so influences how diets are utilised. For example feeding diets high in concentrates and rapidly fermentable carbohydrates decreases the levels of fibrolytic bacteria which can lead to a reduction in fibre digestion. Because of their abundance in a range of feeds, sugars are metabolised by a large fraction of the rumen community. In the rumen, sugars are fermented by a wide range of bacteria and


also by protozoa, producing higher levels of propionate and butyrate. The breakdown of fibre on the other hand produces higher levels of acetate. Butyrate has positive effects on rumen pH, milk solids and rumen papillae. Protein metabolism is also affected. When sugars are fermented,


microbial yields are increased and methane emissions are reduced indicating improved nitrogen utilisation. Work at the University of Bologna, led by Dr. Alberto Palmonari


demonstrates some of the ways in which sugars are moderating rumen performance. In vitro assessments confirm that sugars are rapidly degraded


in the rumen. While initial rates vary, all sugars are effectively fully digested within four hours of feeding. For sucrose 94.2% has been digested within an hour of feeding with 100% digested within four hours. This might lead to the conclusion that sugars therefore only have a short-term influence on overall rumen function. However, when gas production rates are analysed a different picture emerges.


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