MOLASSES, being naturally high in sugar and available energy, offers real value for money and cost stability at a time when feed ingredient prices are volatile.

The role of molasses in improving palatability and boosting feed intake to help general livestock performance and condition has been appreciated by farmers for generations.

Research from across the British Isles shows that the inclusion of molasses with grass silage based diets increases total dry matter intake, milk yield and milk protein content. Studies with early and mid-lactation cows getting two to three kg daily of molasses found this increased total dry matter intake by 12%, milk yield by 1.1 to two kg/cow, a rise of between 5% to 12%.

These trials also found that using molasses at these modest levels increased milk fat plus protein yield by 0.07 to 0.15kg.cow, a rise of between five and 15%. When it comes to formulating livestock diets adding molasses makes sound business sense.