animals Review A Review Regarding the Use of Molasses in Animal Nutrition Attilio Luigi Mordenti 1,* , Elisa Giaretta 2 , Luca Campidonico 1, Paola Parazza 1 and Andrea Formigoni 1 1 Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie (DIMEVET), Alma Mater Studiorum—Università di Bologna, Via Tolara di sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy;
[email protected] (L.C.);
[email protected] (P.P.);
[email protected] (A.F.) 2 Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata ed Alimentazione (BCA), Università di Padova, Via dell’Università 6, 35020 Legnaro, Italy;
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[email protected]; Tel.: +39-05-1209-7381; Fax: +39-05-1209-7373 Simple Summary: The aim of the authors is to make a summary of the possible applications of molasses in animal nutrition, how to improve hays and silage qualities for beef and dairy cattle; to enhance industrial byproducts values by liquid feed in swine production; and to improve with feed blocks the extensive livestock production efficiency (cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs). Focus is both on characteristics feed based on molasses and on ruminal fermentation: the techniques of production, conservation and administration to animals have been widely described as being capable of positively influencing animal performance, milk and meat quality, as well as animal welfare. Abstract: In the past fifty years, agriculture, and particularly livestock production, has become more resource-intensive, with negative implications regarding world environmental status. Currently, the circular economy 3R principles (to reduce, reuse and recycle materials) can offer many opportunities for the agri-food industry to become more resource-efficient. The closed-loop agri-food supply chain has the great potential of reducing environmental and economic costs, which result from food waste disposal.