Enhancing fermentative digestion of cereal straws by using urea-molasses multinutrient blocks

Research trials connected with the preparation of licks are described. In vivo experiments carried out on lambs indicated that the rate of consumption from the licks is governed by the degree of solidification of the block, the urea level, the supplementary minerals content and by the adaptability of lambs to licking behaviour. The ruminal ammonia-N concentrations of lambs receiving the urea-molasses licks fluctuated less and were maintained between 107 and 224 mg/L during the diurnal cycle. (author)