Pasture Plus Sheep is a highly palatable single blend molasses based supplement that is designed to enhance rumen function and animal production. It contains a balanced supply of non-protein nitrogen (urea and sulphate of ammonia) and natural protein, phosphorus, salt and essential trace minerals and vitamins.
Pasture Plus Sheep is a convenient alternative for sheep producers and graziers who in the past have mixed simple molasses blends, or may have a storage tank and feed out troughs already in place. It can be used as a supplement for any class of sheep grazing paddock feed. Pasture Plus Sheep can also be used as a supplement with crop stubble, hay or straw.
Pasture Utilisation
Pasture growth is seasonal and may vary depending on location and rainfall zone i.e. temperate - sub-tropical. Changes in pasture quality can affect your sheep’s productivity. This is because:
1. As plants mature their nutritional value declines, resulting in reduced levels of Protein, Energy and Minerals.
2. The mature plants are harder to digest and utilise
efficiently. This is due to increased levels of fibre.
Pasture Plus Sheep contains bonded urea. Urea has long been regarded as a cost effective source of RDP. Urea is a source of Non Protein Nitrogen and is converted to
ammonia in the rumen by rumen microbes to supply their protein requirements. Providing sheep with a source of urea will help stimulate the rumen microbe population,
increase the rate of digestion and feed intake and give an overall boost to animal production.
Ammonia Toxicity in Ruminants
Ruminants have a large requirement for rumen degradable protein (RDP). This is broken down by rumen micro-organisms and combined with the products of carbohydrate digestion to form microbial proteins. This function of the rumen micro flora enables urea to be fed as a cost-effective alternative to conventional protein feeds for ruminant nutrition.
Unfortunately feeding unprocessed urea causes a rapid release of ammonia into the rumen. This can cause wastage and health problems or even mortalities. The use of bonded urea regulates the release of ammonia making it gradual and sustained. As a result bonded urea can be used to safely reduce the cost of protein supplementation to ruminants.
How Can Bonded Urea Help?
To make urea a safer option for feeding to sheep, Bundaberg Molasses uses a process which chemically bonds the urea to the sugar molecules in molasses. This creates a larger, more stable molecule which is also more resistant to enzyme attack. Therefore the ammonia is released more slowly in the animal’s digestive system. The effect of slower release can be seen in the figure below.
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Organic Zinc is a non-antibiotic feed additive vital to health, growth & protein synthesis in food producing animals. It is designed to provide animals with zinc and an amino acid in a freely available form to improve their health and
production.
Features of Pasture Plus Sheep
- Balanced supplement and includes a rumen modifier
- Contains high levels of natural protein
- One blend, highly palatable liquid supplement
- No mixing time or equipment required
- Can be fed out in open troughs
- Easy to regulate intake levels
Benefits of Pasture Plus Sheep
- Improved animal performance by –
- Maintaining or improving body liveweight during the winter months
- Assisting in maintaining body condition at lambing
- Improved conception rates
- Better milk production and weaning weights
- Readily accepted by all stock
- Simple and easy to use
- Enhanced utilisation of pasture
Pasture Plus can be fed in open troughs. Initially, place troughs near sheep tracks, camps or watering points. Once sheep have started on Pasture Plus, troughs can be shifted to other areas of the paddock so as to encourage animals to graze out and utilise feed more efficiently.
Consumption rates will vary depending on animals' body condition, physiological status, pasture availability and quantity.
Recommended Feeding Rates
Based on the recommended feeding rates (above), feed out enough Pasture Plus to last the sheep for four days. DO NOT refill your troughs until day 5.
To evaluate your Pasture Plus supplementation program, it will be important to keep accurate consumption records. Ask a Bundaberg Molasses representative for assistance in developing an easy to use table for this purpose.
Pasture Plus Sheep is a highly palatable molasses based single blend supplement designed to enhance rumen function and animal production for sheep grazing dry pastures, crop stubble or hay. It contains non-protein nitrogen (urea and sulphate of ammonia), natural protein, sources of phosphorus, salt and a balanced profile of trace minerals and vitamins.
The following table outlines the nutrient profile of Pasture Plus:
NUTRIENT |
UNITS |
AS FED BASIS |
DM BASIS |
TOTAL PROTEIN |
% |
16.19 |
29.36 |
MAX. UREA |
% |
4.8 |
8.7 |
ENERGY |
MJ/kg |
6.0 |
10.9 |
MIN. SALT |
% |
3.1 |
5.62 |
MIN. CALCIUM |
% |
0.47 |
0.85 |
MIN. PHOSPHORUS |
% |
0.55 |
1 |
SULPHUR |
% |
0.6 |
1.09 |
POTASSIUM |
% |
3.04 |
5.51 |
MAX. COPPER |
mg/kg |
6.44 |
11.67 |
IRON |
mg/kg |
144.3 |
261.7 |
IODINE (I) |
mg/kg |
3.45 |
6.25 |
MANGANESE |
mg/kg |
309.87 |
309.87 |
SELENIUM |
mg/kg |
1.25 |
2.28 |
ZINC |
mg/kg |
186.98 |
339.1 |
ZINC PROTEINATE |
mg/kg |
45.0 |
81.61 |
DRY MATTER |
% |
58.5 |
100.00 |
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Quality Assurance
Bundaberg Molasses, Oakey plant, is quality assured to ISO 9001 - 2008 standards. Our products are designed and manufactured to meet nutritional requirements whilst ensuring product stability and ease of handling. Products are tested regularly to further ensure that nutrient content, viscosity and stability criteria are met.
Pasture Plus Sheep should be stored in a cool dry environment. When storing Pasture Plus Sheep in bulk it is recommended that tanks suitable for molasses storage are used. Feed to stock using a recommended trough from your preferred manufacturer.
To contact your local agent,
Freecall 1800 777 097 or (07) 4691 3000
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