Differences in chemical composition and digestibility of beet and cane molasses

Digestibility of beet and cane molasses was tested in vivo with wether sheep at two levels of inclusion of molasses in the ration (15 and 30%) as well as in vitro with rumen fluid. In vivo, cane molasses was less digestible than beet molasses, irrespective of the level of inclusion in the ration. The level of inclusion of the molasses did not have a significant effect on the calculated organic matter digestibility of the products. Increasing the ratio of molasses to hay (or hay + sugar beet pulp) linearly increased in vitro OM digestibility of the mixtures irrespective of the molasses type tested. Digestibility in vitro of cane molasses was only slightly lower than that of beet molasses. Chemical characteristics of both molasses are discussed in relation to possible explanations for the differences between results obtained in vitro and in vivo.