Molasses-Urea for Restricted Forage Fed Steers in the Tropics

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Abstract
A FACTORIAL experiment was conducted with 36 crossbred Brahman × Criollo steers to evaluate the effects of three levels of forage intake (50, 75 and 100% of ad libitum intake) with and without molasses-urea supplementation (3 kg of molasses + 150 g urea/animal/day). Restricting forage intake decreased weight gains (P<.01) while supplementation improved (P<.01) gains at all forage intake levels. Forage consumption was not affected by supplementation. The overall effect of forage intake and supplementation on organic matter digestibility was not significant, though when individual means were compared, lower (P<.05) digestibility occurred at the 50% of ad libitum forage intake level and was improved (P<.05) by supplementation at the 75 and 50% of ad libitum levels of forage consumption. A similar trend was observed for cellulose digestion. Nitrogen retention decreased with the restriction of forage intake while supplementation improved (P<.05) this at all forage consumption levels. Higher blood urea levels with restricted forage intake were associated with the molasses-urea supplementation (P<.01). Rumen ammonia was increased (P<.05) by supplementation at the 50% of ad libitum forage consumption level. Rumen microbial nitrogen declined by (P<.01) restricting forage intake while supplementation increased (P<.01) these values at all levels of consumption. Supplementation improved (P<.05) rumen cellulose digestion at the 75 and 50% of ad libitum forage intake level. Restricting forage intake decreased (P<.01) individual and total volatile fatty acids while supplementation increased (P<.01) these with the effect being greater at the 50% of ad libitum forage consumption level. Copyright © 1972. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1972 by American Society of Animal Science.

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