Cattle Fatten on Sweet Diet

SYDNEY - Feb 17/05 - SNS -- Cattle on high-molasses diets experience commercially attractive live-weight gains without compromising beef quality, according to Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

The study's first phase – conducted at CSIRO's facilities in Rockhampton – showed live-weight gains of up to 1.8 kilograms a day are achievable when molasses constitutes 45% to 60% of the animals' diet.

Under commercial feedlot conditions the 'best bet' molasses-based diet achieved live-weight gains of up to 1.4 kilograms a day. The study also found that replacing feed barley or maize with 29% to 50% molasses had no effect on meat eating quality, tenderness or meat and subcutaneous fat color.

"Cattle on the high-molasses diets achieved good carcass composition and Meat Standards Australia's sensory testing panel also confirmed meat-eating quality was maintained," says CSIRO project leader Dr Bob Hunter.

"This new technology could possibly underpin an intensive cattle feeding industry in northern Australia because we now have the ability to mix and match molasses with other energy-dense feed ingredients to produce cost effective feedlot rations," Dr Hunter says.

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) Feedlot Project Manager, Des Rinehart, says the project's findings are very encouraging. "Molasses now promises to be a cost effective ration ingredient for northern Australian cattle producers and feedlots targeting premium beef markets."

He says cost comparisons with grain indicate that molasses will be most effectively utilized by those cattle producers whose properties are located close to sugar mills.