Effect of the type of silage on milk yield, intake and rumen metabolism of dairy cows grazing swards with low herbage mass (original) (raw)
Related papers
2015
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding maize silage at different times before the herbage meal on dry matter (DM) intake, milksolids (MS) production and nitrogen (N) excretion of late lactation dairy cows. In an indoor study, nine Friesian × Jersey dairy cows were assigned to three treatments: (1) herbage only (control); (2) supplemented with 3 kg DM of maize silage after morning milking approximately nine hours before the herbage meal (9BH); and (3) supplemented with 3 kg DM of maize silage after afternoon milking approximately one hour before the herbage meal (1BH). Cows were offered ad libitum cut herbage (perennial ryegrass-white clover) for five hours from 1530 to 2030 h. Herbage DM intake was greater (P=0.03) for control than 1BH cows, but did not differ between control and 9BH or between 1BH and 9BH cows (13.71, 11.96 and 12.74 kg DM/cow/ day for control, 1BH and 9BH, respectively). The substitution of herbage by maize silage was greater (P=0.05) f...
J. Agric. Sci. Mansoura Univ, 2004
Twelve lactating Friesian cows at 6 weeks of lactation period with an average body weight of 450±0.17 kg, in the 2nd to the 4th lactation seasons were used in complete switch-back design and divided randomly into four similar groups according to body weight, milk yield and number of lactation seasons (3 cows in each). Cows in the first group were fed a control ration (R1) that consisted of 60% concentrate feed mixture (CFM), 15% rice straw (RS) and 25% berseem hay (BH). The other three groups were fed rations which consisted of 50% CFM, 15% RS and 35% from both berseem silage (BS) and orange waste silage (OWS) at different ratios, 75:25 for the second group (R2), 50:50 for the third group (R3) and 25:75 for the fourth group (R4). Contents of CP, CF and ash were lower, while EE and NFE contents were higher in OWS compared with BS. Contents of CP, CF and ash increased, while OM, EE and NFE contents decreased with increasing the level of BS and decreasing the level of OWS in the rations. Cows fed R3 recorded significantly (P<0.05) the highest digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, CF, EE and NFE and subsequently TDN and ME values. While, cows fed R2 had significantly (P<0.05) the highest digestibility coefficient of CP and subsequently DCP value. Cows fed R1 showed the highest intake of CFM, RS, DM, TDN, ME and DCP compared with the other silage group. While, cows fed R2 had significantly (P<0.05) the highest intake of DCP. Ruminal pH values were nearly similar for different experimental groups. Cows fed R3 recorded the highest ruminal TVFA’s concentration (P<0.05). While, NH3-N concentration in rumen liquor increased significantly (P<0.05) with increasing the level of BS and decreasing the level of OWS in the rations. Concentrations of total protein, albumin, globulin and creatinine significantly increased (P<0.05), while activity of GOT and GPT significantly decreased (P<0.05) with increasing the level of BS and decreasing the level of OWS in the rations. Cows fed R3 recorded significantly (P<0.05) the highest yield of actual milk, 4% FCM and milk contents followed by cows fed R2. Cows fed the control ration recorded significantly (P<0.05) the highest fat and lactose contents in milk and those fed R3 had the highest total solids content (P<0.05). While, there were no significant differences in protein, solids not fat and ash contents among the experimental groups. Cows fed R3 showed the highest feed and economic efficiencies, while those fed the control ration had the lowest values (P<0.05).
Journal of dairy …, 2007
Effects of chop length (shorter = 10 mm or longer = 19 mm) of alfalfa silage and corn silage were determined in 16 midlactation Holstein cows using a 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 arrangement of treatments. Experimental periods were 21 d long and consisted of 14 d of adaptation and 7 d of sampling. Cows received total mixed ration containing (dry matter basis) 44.0% barley grain-based energy supplement, 12.6% protein supplement, and 21.7% longer chop or shorter chop alfalfa silage and 21.7% longer chop or shorter chop corn silage. Reducing the chop length of alfalfa silage and corn silage reduced the average geometric particle length from 14.4 to 11.0 mm and from 14.2 to 10.4 mm, respectively. Reducing the chop length of both silages reduced the proportion of the diets retained by the 8and 19-mm screen of the Penn State Particle Separator from 55.0 to 46.0% of dry matter. Reducing the alfalfa chop length increased total rumen volatile fatty acids at 4 to 5 h after feeding but did not affect rumen pH at 4 to 5 h after feeding, feed intake, and milk production. Reducing the corn silage chop length increased dry matter intake from 22.3 to 23.2 kg/d, increased rumen pH at 4 to 5 h after feeding from 6.12 to 6.20, but did not alter rumen volatile fatty acids at 4 to 5 h after feeding or milk production. Daily milk yield, milk fat percentage, and milk protein percentage averaged 38.2 kg/d, 2.62%, and 3.29%, respectively, across all diets. The low milk fat percentages suggest that all diets induced subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA), whereas the rumen pH did not indicate SARA. This discrepancy could be due to a difference in the time of rumen pH measurement and the time of the lowest rumen pH. Hence, the pH data need to be interpreted with caution. Diets could have induced SARA, because for all experimental diets the content of forage neutral detergent fiber was lower than recommended for barley grain-based diets.
Journal of dairy science, 2012
The main objective was to evaluate the potential of grass silages of very high quality to support a high milk yield with a low or moderate, or even without concentrate supplementation. Production responses to increased levels of concentrate supplementation with 3 primary growth grass silages differing in digestibility were studied using 66 Norwegian Red dairy cows. Roundbale silage was produced from a timothy-dominated sward at very early (H1), early (H2), and normal (H3) stages of crop maturity. Crops were rapidly wilted (<24h) and a formic acid-based additive was applied. All silages were restrictedly fermented. Silage digestible organic matter in dry matter (DM) values were 747, 708, and 647 g/kg of DM for H1, H2, and H3, respectively. Dietary treatments were fed in a 3×3 factorial arrangement of the 3 silages supplemented with 3 concentrate levels (4, 8, and 12 kg/d) and, additionally, H1 was offered without concentrates and H3 with 16 kg/d, giving a total of 11 diets. Cows, ...
Journal of dairy science, 2009
This study investigated the effects of plant species (red clover vs. timothy-meadow fescue) and forage maturity at primary harvest (early vs. late cut silage) on rumen fermentation, nutrient digestion, and nitrogen metabolism including omasal canal AA flow and plasma AA concentration in lactating cows. Five dairy cows equipped with rumen cannulas were used in a study designed as a 5 x 5 Latin square with 21-d periods. The diets consisted of early-cut and late-cut grass and red clover silage, respectively, and a mixture of late-cut grass and early-cut red clover silages given ad libitum with 9 kg/d of a standard concentrate. Grass silage dry matter intake tended to decrease but that of red clover silages tended to increase with advancing maturity. Milk yields were unchanged among treatments, milk protein and fat concentrations being lower for red clover than for grass silage diets. Rumen fluid pH was unchanged but volatile fatty acid and ammonia concentrations were higher for red clo...
Effects of Replacing Grass Silage with Barley Silage in Dairy Cow Diets
Journal of Dairy Science, 2006
This study examined the effects of gradually replacing grass silage with whole-crop barley silage on feed intake, ruminal and total tract digestibility, and milk yield in lactating dairy cows. Four dairy cows in early lactation, equipped with rumen cannulas, were fed 4 diets over four 21-d periods. The diets consisted of 4 forage mixtures of grass silage and whole-crop barley silage supplemented with 8.9 kg/d of concentrates [dry matter (DM) basis]. The proportion of barley silage in the forage was adjusted to 0, 0.20, 0.40, and 0.60 kg/ kg of DM. Ruminal nutrient metabolism was measured on the basis of digesta flow entering the omasal canal. Ammonia concentrations and volatile fatty acid profiles were determined in the rumen fluid. Ruminal digestion and passage kinetics were assessed by the rumen evacuation technique. Replacement of grass silage with barley silage had no effect on DM, digestible organic matter, or neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake, but starch intake increased, whereas nitrogen and digestible NDF (dNDF) intake decreased. Increases in the proportion of barley silage linearly decreased milk yield, and the molar proportion of acetate in the rumen, and increased that of propionate, butyrate, and valerate. Decreases in milk yield due to inclusion of barley silage were attributed to decreases in diet digestibility and nutrient supply to the animal. Barley silage linearly decreased organic matter digestibility in the total tract and NDF and dNDF digestibility in the rumen and the total tract, and decreased nonammonia N flow entering the omasal canal. No significant differences between diets were noted in the digestion rate of dNDF or passage rate of indigestible NDF from the rumen. Decreases in organic matter and NDF digestibility were attributed to the higher indigestible NDF concentration of barley silage compared with that of grass silage and to the smaller pool size of dNDF in the rumen.
Italian Journal of Animal Science, 2010
The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of partial replacement of corn silage with long alfalfa hay and/or coarse chopped wheat straw on neutral detergent fibre (NDF) rumen degradability, milk yield and composition in late lactating dairy cows fed diets with 50% forage on dry matter basis. Twelve late lactating Holstein primiparous cows including four cows equipped with a rumen cannula, averaging 210 ± 20 d in milk and weighing 575 ± 50 kg were randomly assigned in a 4x4 Latin square design. During each of four 21-d periods, cows were fed 4 total mixed diets that were varied in the forage sources: 1) 50% corn silage (CS), 2) 35% corn silage + 15% wheat straw (CSW), 3) 35% corn silage + 15% alfalfa hay (CSA), 4) 25% corn silage + 10% wheat straw + 15% alfalfa hay (CSWA). The production of milk averaged 18.55, 20.41 and 20.06 kg/d for unadjusted milk production, 4% fat corrected milk and solid corrected milk, respectively, and was not affected by treatments. Likewise, milk composition or production of milk components was not affected by diets and averaged 4.69% fat, 3.66% protein, 4.51% lactose, 866 g/d fat, 665 g/d protein, 824 g/d lactose. Treatments had no effect on in situ NDF soluble, degradable and potential degradability of all diets, whereas the effective degradability (ED) of NDF was greater for cows fed CS diet than for cows fed CSW, CSA and CSWA diets (P<0.05). These values suggested that the partial replacement of corn silage with alfalfa hay and/or wheat straw has no unfavourable effect on the productive parameters.
Animal Feed Science and Technology, 1997
Four silages were harvested at approximately one-week intervals from the same timothymeadow fescue sward. Advanced maturity of tire herbage was evidenced by increased neutral detergent fibre [409,497,579 and 623 g in 1 kg dry matter (DM)] and decreased nitrogen (N; 29.9, 26.7, 18.7 and 17.4) contents of the silages in the order of harvest date. The silages were studied using four ruminally and duodenally cannulated young cattle in a 4 X 4 Latin square experiment. On DM basis (g kg-'1, the diet comprised grass silage (7001, rolled barley (240) and rapeseed meal (60) and it was given at a rate of 70g DM (kg live weight)-0.75 per day.
This experiment was conducted to test a hypothesis that lactating dairy cows fed 35% brown midrib (BMR) corn silage and 25% alfalfa hay (dry matter (DM) basis) would consume more DM around peak lactation compared with those fed conventional corn silage (CS), resulting in longer peak milk production. Twentyeight multiparous Holstein cows were used starting at the onset of lactation through 180 d in milk (DIM). Treatments were formulated to maintain a forage-toconcentrate ratio of 60:40, differing only in the CS hybrids used. Two dietary treatments were assessed in a completely randomized design: total mixed ration based on conventional CS (CCS) and total mixed ration based on BMR silage. Through peak lactation (1-60 DIM), DM intake was not different between dietary treatments, whereas DM intake post-peak lactation (61-180 DIM) tended to increase by feeding the BMR diet compared with the CCS diet (25.8 vs. 24.7 kg/d). Cows fed the BMR diet tended to lose less body weight through peak lactation compared with those fed the CCS diet (−0.22 vs. −0.52 kg/d). Although milk yield was not different between dietary treatments through peak lactation, milk yield post-peak lactation increased by feeding the BMR diet compared with the CCS diet (41.0 vs. 38.8 kg/d). Yield of 3.5% fat-corrected milk was similar between dietary treatments throughout the experiment (41.4 kg/d, on average), but milk fat concentration decreased by feeding the BMR diet compared with the CCS diet post-peak lactation (3.47 vs. 3.80%). Overall milk protein concentration was similar between dietary treatments throughout the experiment (2.96%, on average), whereas milk protein yield tended to be higher for the BMR diet post-peak lactation compared with the CCS diet (1.19 vs.1.13 kg/d). Feeding BMR silage with a high dietary concentration of alfalfa hay maintained more body weight, but did not affect milk production through peak lactation; however, cows fed the BMR diet post-peak lactation consumed more feed and maintained longer peak milk yield, leading to greater overall milk production and milk protein yield.
Livestock Science, 2020
A three-period changeover design study using 24 mid-lactation multiparous Holstein-Friesian dairy cows, examined supplementation strategies for a high quality grass silage (dry matter (DM), 418 g/kg; crude protein (CP), 170 g/kg DM; metabolisable energy (ME), 12.1 MJ/kg DM). Four treatments, in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, compared concentrate type (Highstarch or High-fibre) and straw inclusion (Straw or No-straw). Concentrates had a starch and neutral detergent fibre content of 373 and 258 g/kg DM, respectively (High-starch), and 237 and 339 g/kg DM, respectively (High-fibre). In the No-straw treatments, silage and concentrates were offered as a total mixed ration in a 57:43 DM ratio. In the Straw treatments, chopped straw was added at 4% of total DM, replacing part of the silage component of the diet. Following this study, the effect of diet on nutrient utilisation efficiency was examined using four cows/treatment. There were no interactions between concentrate type and straw inclusion for any cow performance or digestibility parameters. Silage dry matter intake (DMI) and total DMI were reduced with the High-fibre concentrate (P = 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively) and straw inclusion (P < 0.001 and P = 0.014, respectively). Neither concentrate type nor straw inclusion had a significant effect on milk yield or milk fat content. The High-starch concentrate increased milk protein content (P < 0.001), while straw inclusion decreased milk protein content (P = 0.036). Treatment had no effect on cow body weight, condition score, faecal scores, digestibility coefficients or nitrogen and energy utilisation efficiency. In conclusion, supplementing a high quality grass silage with a carefully formulated 'high starch' concentrate improved DMI and milk protein content with no adverse effects on cow performance. Straw inclusion in the diet had no beneficial effects on DMI, milk production or nutrient utilisation efficiency.