Crop and Industrial By-Products:
Sugarcane

Sugarcane is widely grown in developing countries, both on a small-scale for home consumption and use, and on a large, industrial scale. Products derived from the processing of sugarcane, especially molasses, form important components of livestock feeds.

Leaves or Tops Molasses Bagasse References and Further Reading

Sugarcane tops are a major byproduct of the sugarcane industry which is left in the field after harvest and widely used for feeding draught animals or cattle owned by workers on the sugar estates or by the sugar companies. The tops, or leaves from sugarcane are mostly fed to large ruminants and so do not normally constitute a feed resource for small stock.

Molasses is the highly palatable, sugar-rich by-product of sugar manufacture. Much of it is used for alcohol production, but it is also used as animal feed in many parts of the world. It provides virtually no protein, and is essentially a source of readily digested or fermented energy that increases the palatability of the whole diet. Care must be exercised when feeding it, particularly to sheep and goats, as it will cause bloat if too much is fed at a time before the animals have adapted to it. It should therefore be introduced gradually into the diet (which is good practice for all novel feeds that are being introduced to a diet).

Molasses is also used in the manufacture of molasses/urea feeds that are prepared as blocks, pastes or licks. The rate of feed intake is reduced when the molasses is prepared in this way, but intakes should still be controlled when the blocks are first introduced. These preparations are an excellent way of providing readily degradable protein and readily fermentable energy to ruminant animals, and they help increase the protein supply to the animal. However, goats are particularly sensitive to urea toxicity and so it is essential that the blocks are accurately made so that goats are not fed too much urea at one time.

For more on molasses-urea blocks

Industrially produced bagasse (the residual cane after extraction of the sugar) is largely used as a source of energy in the sugar factory. Bagasse that is available outside the factory is really only suitable for large ruminants. However, domestically produced residual pressed cane stalk has a much higher residual sugar content. Goats will avidly eat the sugar-rich pith and then leave the highly fibrous rind. The pressed stalk should therefore be offered to them in excess, giving them twice as much as they are likely to eat, so that they have the opportunity to select the fractions they prefer. Cane stalk has an extremely low protein content (about 17 g/kg dry matter) and so some form of protein must also be fed with it. Its high fibre content (450 g crude fibre/kg dry matter) make it unsuitable for pigs and poultry, but where it is produced it is a useful source of energy for goats.

Molasses: http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/AGA/AGAP/FRG/afris/Data/554.HTM

Molasses/Urea blocks:
http://www.fao.org/ag/aga/agap/frg/afris/Data/557.HTM

Bagasse: http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/AGA/AGAP/FRG/afris/Data/552.HTM

Cramb, R. and Purcell, T. (2001). Developing Forage Technologies with Smallholder Farmers: How to Monitor and Evaluate Impacts. ACIAR Working Paper Series, No. 41