Livestock feed is a major concern in field of Animal Production. Currently in Iran, as it is calculated, the avalcable feed resources are sufficient to provide about 50% of the standard nutrient requierments of the existing livestock. Aplausible reason for the current low level livestock performance in the.country is the shortage of feed resources, and use of unbalanced ration.
The main objective of this study was to increase the available livestock feed rerources through the use of the unconventional feed material, such as agricultural by-products and crop residues. The secondary objective of the study was to establish procedures to manufacture molasses-urea blocks by applying simple and appropriate techniques which are applicable in Villages. The manufactured—solidified blocks were composed of wheat and rice rtraw, tea waste, rice hulls, molasses,urea,.• quicklime, cement and salt. The hardness of the blocks was measured by a penetrometer. The consumption level was measured by direct observation of the cattle.
The results of thes study indicate that, the manufactured molasses—urea blocks can be handled, stored, transported and distributed easily by the farmers, and consumed by the livestock. The mean hardness of the blocks in the different treatments varied from 8.44 ±1.48 to 53.41±8.59 Kg/cm2. The mean consumption level (eating-and-or lecking) of the blocks in the different treat ment Varried from 0.845 to 1.550 Kg per Animal per day.
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