The hexoses found in cane molasses are mainly sucrose, glucose and fructose. Molasses contains 50% sugar on an as fed basis and 70% of the sugar is sucrose. Cellulose, starch and sugars all end up eventually as hexoses (fig. 1.). These hexoses then are metabolized to pyruvate
which can be metabolized to acetate, propionate, butyrate or lactate. You can influence the end-products of hexose fermentation by manipulating the ruminal environment. Acetate can be generated from the fermentation of both cellulose and sugars when conditions in the rumen favor the growth of acetate producing bacterial species. Lactate can be formed in the rumen from the fermentation of sugars when conditions are favorable in the rumen for the rapid growth of Streptococcus bovis