A Study On The Efficacy Of Anti-Protozoal Molasses Blocks In Sheep

Abstract

The absence of ciliate protozoa from the rumen is known to reduce proteolysis of dietary protein in the rumen and to increase the supply of microbial protein for digestion by the host, thereby increasing the quantity of amino acids available for absorption. Therefore defaunation can be expected to improve production in ruminants fed low-protein diets. However, no practical method of controlling protozoa in the rumen of grazing animals has been developed. The current studies were initiated to examine the efficacy of molasses blocks containing an anti-protozoal agent in reducing or completely removing protozoa from the rumen of sheep. The detergents Teric GN9 and Alkanate 3 SL 3 were used as anti-protozoal agents because it had been demonstrated that these detergents had successfully defaunated the rumen when administered as an oral drench. Preliminary studies indicated that blocks containing molasses up to (67 %), wheat bran (25%), lime (8%) and up to 10% detergent set sufficiently hard to prevent sheep from over-consuming block.