Molasses

[Central Fl Cracker]

I am only running 20 cow/calf this year on 135 ac. due to some economic reason's. Even though I am in Central Fl. we get a hard frost usually early in November which kills my Bahia grass. I go to bought hay around December and usually supplement with molasses. Do you think molasses is necessary? Alot of the old timers who I respect say no it is not. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[dun]

Unless the hay is so crappy that you have to pour the rodentbuts on it to make them eat it there isn;t much point. It may actually lower the fed protein depending on the hay since it only runs about 6% protein.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

No it is good hay.

 

[dun]

Then there is no point. I don;t know off hand what the energy level is but it seems like you wouldn;t have long enough or severe enough winters that it would be needed

 

[Bigfoot]

I would think not necessary.

 

[slave2cows]

if good quality hay no but if you are worried about you can always give them a protien tub cheap and effective

 

[B&M Farms]

Without testing the hay it would be hard to tell you if you need to feed anything else. If the hay is bahia, you will probably have to feed a protein based feed with some energy depending on the state of your cows(dry,milking,condition,ect.). Molasses by itself will not help.

 

[TexasBred]

I am only running 20 cow/calf this year on 135 ac. due to some economic reason's. Even though I am in Central Fl. we get a hard frost usually early in November which kills my Bahia grass. I go to bought hay around December and usually supplement with molasses. Do you think molasses is necessary? Alot of the old timers who I respect say no it is not. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Feed the hay, watch cow and calf condition and supplement only if the cows start losing too much conditioning. A good test on the hay would certainly be worth the time and little money required.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I go to bought hay around December and usually supplement with molasses. Do you think molasses is necessary?

Feed the hay, watch cow and calf condition and supplement only if the cows start losing too much conditioning. A good test on the hay would certainly be worth the time and little money required.

Some cows will get fat, and other cows will stay thin, on the same hay diet. I would skip the molasses and then cull any cows that can not make it on hay.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

Thanks

 

[TexasBred]

Those getting fat are probably not giving much milk either.

 

[Jogeephus]

With such light stocking take particular note to the lower lying areas or some of the sacrifice areas and see if you don't get some volunteer wild ryegrass. This stuff doesn't look like much but it is very high in nutrients. The cattle will find it if its there and just watch them to see if you do. If you do, this will be better than any supplement.

 

[Anonymous]

Here in c fla, I've found that if I put rye down, I cut my hay needs in half and don't usually have to suppliment protein. That's assuming we get any semi regular rains. Sometimes I jump the gun a put the rye down with the first rain in mid October. And in some cases it's mid November. The rye I out down mid October this year is doing great so far. We will see how it does in another month.

 

[greybeard]

Exactly what is the molasses supposed to be for?
What does it have that would make it a good supplement other than a sweetener?

 

[highgrit]

It's been awhile since I played cowboy in Fl. But back in the day we would put out molasses in the winter. I was always told it was sweet but high in protein. After a few days the cows stomach would start to burn because of the protein. Then cows would eat Palmettos and any thing else they could reach for filler. We never fed hay when I was in Fl.

 

[dun]

It's been awhile since I played cowboy in Fl. But back in the day we would put out molasses in the winter. I was always told it was sweet but high in protein. After a few days the cows stomach would start to burn because of the protein. Then cows would eat Palmettos and any thing else they could reach for filler. We never fed hay when I was in Fl.

It may have caused their stomacks to burn but it sure wasn;t from the high protein. 6% sure isn;t high by my standards anyway

 

[Anonymous]

It makes them eat more roughage that they normally wouldn't. It's not for protein at all.

 

[highgrit]

That's the reason I didn't post something earlier Dun. We always called them protein tubs, "molasses tubs". Our dry molasses is mixed with
iron oxide and is 20% protein and some trace minerals, must be some protein in the trace minerals. I am sure it has urea or something else in it for the protein, next time I buy some I will read whats in the contents of the bag. Here we can buy it in 50lb. bags. I use it when we grind feed for a sweetner. Thanks for the info. Well Hook we always feed molasses because of the protein, there is not much in palmettos.
And a molasses tub has 24-28% protein. Just the way I was taught to do or say things I guess.

 

[Anonymous]

I was under the impression it was a question about just molasses. Not the thing I call a protein tub, that has protein, minerals, fat, etc in it. The molasses portion of it though does what I described. Makes their stomach burn, an they eat more trying to get rid of the burn. At least thts my understanding of it

 

[dun]

I was under the impression it was a question about just molasses. Not the thing I call a protein tub, that has protein, minerals, fat, etc in it. The molasses portion of it though does what I described. Makes their stomach burn, an they eat more trying to get rid of the burn. At least thts my understanding of it

Me too! At least I'm with acceptable company