Multi Nutrient Lick - A New Tool for Feeding

Feeding has been evolved to be an important tool to in feeding to support animal production. When the production enhancement was considered a task in animal industry balanced animal rations were developed. The ration consists of forages, grain, protein meals and other concentrate feeds. The above ration may contain elements required and not required by the animal. It was arduous to separate the not required elements which may require sophasticated process engineering which may increase the ration cost singnificantly. In the above process animal fails to use its natural instinct to find and eat its required elements. Therefore the not required elements were consumed and later voided as ding. The natural instinct of the animal to sense nitrogen and consume to meet its nutritional requirement was studied by using urea molasses block in sheep (PJG Kunju 1981).

MOLASSES Vs STARCH

Molasses were used to make lick blocks owing to its sugar content, aroma and binding capacity. However, its hygroscopic nature made to use several chemicals in the lick blocks. They became non nutritional at times. In fact, nutritionally the benefits of molasses were found to yield ATP by fermentation. However, the ME availability was very low. The starch could be bypassed the rumen metabolism thereby yielding more energy.

MNLB – the new product

It could contain bypass proteins, fatty acids and starch, minerals and vitamins. Such a lick block could be kept at a higher position so that cows can lick at head high position. This could accomplish opening of esophageal grove so that natural bypassing is possible. It is a new innovation in lick technology.