Livestock Studies 2004, Vol 44, Num, 1     (Pages: 025-031)

The Effects of Gelling Agents and Levels of Molasses Added into Urea-molasses Licking Blocks on Daily Block Consumption

Yücel ÜNAL 1 ,İsmail KAYA 1 ,Ahmet ÖNCÜER 1

1 Kafkas Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Hayvan Besleme ve Beslenme Hastalıkları ABD, KARS - Two experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of varied gelling agents and different levels of molasses added into Urea-Molasses Licking Blocks (UMLB) on daily block consumptions. In the first experiment, 3 ram lambs were given blocks composed of cement, grout or quicklime as gelling agent in addition to ad libitum barley straw in individual cages. The experiment was carried out in a 3x3 Latin Square design and each period lasted in 21 days. In the second experiment, 20 male lambs (aged 7 months) divided into 4 groups and were given blocks formulated with 30 %, 35 %, 40 % and 45 % of molasses, respectively. Animals were fed with ad libitum barley straw for 21 days in individual cages. Blocks composed of grout and quicklime were consumed 110.4 and 178.4 g/day, respectively. Block with cement was removed from the trial since it was consumed 321 and 461 g/day in the first two days. Daily consumptions of blocks with different levels of molasses were recorded as 109.8, 115.2, 129.2 and 132.8 g/day, respectively (P<0.001). It is concluded that using grout as gelling agent in manufacturing UMLB gave better results and the daily block consumption increased with increased level of molasses. Keywords : Urea molasses licking blocks, gelling agents, molasses ratio, block consumption