Author : Soham Trivedi and Saumil Shah

In the current scenario due to increased input costs, commercial dairy operations are seeking reduced-cost feed alternatives to enhance productivity while reducing feed costs. The organic dairy sector has had recent unprecedented changes in their industry due to increased grain prices. Therefore, organic dairy farmers in particular are seeking lower-cost energy alternatives. Sugar cane molasses, a rich source of sucrose, seems to be a viable option as a source of energy and minerals. Globally, many studies had indicated the positive effect of supplementing cane molasses in dietary feed plans for dairy cows. However, little research exists evaluating the effects of cane molasses on cow milk productivity and its co-relation with environmental conditions. Also, evaluation on a case-by-case basis to determine feasibility of cane molasses as an energy source for dairy cows is the need of the day. Thus, the present studies was conducted wherein cane molasses feed was introduced as a component of a total mixed ration containing appropriate amounts of silage, concentrates and mineral mixes in the basic feed plan practiced at our dairy farms and cow milk production data was recorded for a total of 108 days. Moreover, the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) was also measured in order to evaluate the environmental effect on cows fed with cane molasses. The trials indicated a significant interactions between cane molasses supplementation rate, environmental conditions and milk productivity of cows under observation. It was observed that cows fed with cane molasses resulted in a decrease in their milk productivity. This is in contrast to previous findings in this context. It is implicated that cane molasses quality, over-feeding and also other environmental factors may had a possible effect on the milk productivity of cows during the conducted trials. It is envisaged that molasses may need to be evaluated on several complicated parameters like cost and availability of molasses, timing of supplementation, source of molasses, the manufacturing practices of molasses, ease of feeding, lactation stage of the cows, body condition scores of cows and the affecting environmental parameters, in order to determine whether or not it may be a feasible component of feed plans for dairy cows.

Keywords: Molasses, dairy cow, milk yield, milk productivity

Article published in International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.4, No.6 (Dec-2014)