Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 November 2017
The feeding of molasses influences the rumen fermentation by changing the balance of microbes in the rumen and their metabolism. One of the consequences is a decrease in efficiency of utilisation of dietary protein when high molasses levels are fed. The dietary protein requirements of ruminants may therefore be higher for diets containing high molasses levels. A previous experiment with dairy cows has shown positive responses in feed intake and milk production to increases in both effective rumen degraded dietary protein (ERDP) and digestible undegraded protein (DUP) in diets containing 310 g/kg DM of molaferm 20 (a mixture of 800 g cane molasses with 200 g condensed molasses solubles per kg, supplied by United Molasses) (Yan and Roberts, 1993). The current experiment was undertaken to evaluate the effects of dietary ERDP and DUP levels on rumen fermentation, hay DM degradability and microbial growth in the rumen of wether sheep.