Persian clover and maize silage. I. Silage as a supplement for lactating dairy cows offered herbage of different quality

1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 1751 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale

A penfeeding experiment, involving 29 lactating dairy cows, was undertaken to assess the use of Persian clover (Trifolium resupinaturn) herbage instead of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne)-dominant herbage as the basal ration in diets in which maize silage (0 to 10.6 kg DM/cow day-1) was used as a supplement. This was supported by a second experiment in which 16 cows grazed limited amounts of Persian clover pasture (herbage allowance of 16.5 kg DM/cow day-1) and were supplemented with various amounts of maize silage (0 to 8.3 kg DM/cow daym-1). In the pen experiment, feeding maize silage to cows grossly underfed with perennial ryegrass pasture resulted in a marginal response to additional feeding of 0.9 kg milk for each of the first 5 kg DM of supplement eaten. This level of supplementary feeding constituted about 40% of the diet. Thereafter, maize silage resulted in virtually no additional milk and the best fed cows only produced about 20 kg of milk. A much greater response in milk yield (1.4 kg milk/kg DM of additional maize silage eaten) was obtained when Persian clover was substituted as the basal ration. There were no differences in milk composition or changes in body condition between cows offered the different basal herbages. Milk fat content averaged 3.9% across all cows, while milk protein content and change in body condition increased by 0.03% and 0.13 units for each additional kg DM of maize silage eaten each day. In the grazing experiment, when a small amount of maize silage was fed to the cows, the marginal return was 1.2 kg milk for each additional kg DM of maize silage eaten. This is only slightly lower than that reported for the indoor feeding study. A major reason for the good response was the negligible substitution of maize silage for Persian clover that occurred with the first increment of supplement in the diet. With higher levels of maize silage feeding, no extra milk was produced. It was the increase in the level of substitution at the higher levels of maize silage that eliminated the possibility of additional responses in milk production.

1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 1783 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale

Six rumen fistulated dairy cows, at various stages of lactation, were housed in metabolism stalls on a total of nine occasions in three experiments in which various combinations of Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum) and maize (Zea mays) silage were offered. These experiments considered some aspects of digestion of Persian clover and Persian clover/maize silage diets in order to understand the good milk yield responses attributed to maize silage measured in previous research. Rumen ammonia concentrations and nylon bag degradation rates suggested that the cows made better use of one or both feeds when Persian clover and maize silage were offered together than they did when Persian clover was offered alone. While Persian clover and maize silage appeared to be a substantially inferior diet in terms of apparent in vivo digestibility coefficients and availability of nutrients when compared with Persian clover offered alone, milk yields were unaffected. In addition, no matter how much maize silage was offered, milk fat content remained constant. These results were attributed to an improved balance of absorbed nutrients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 334-340
Author(s):  
Elisa Manzocchi ◽  
Werner Hengartner ◽  
Michael Kreuzer ◽  
Katrin Giller

AbstractThis research paper addresses the hypotheses (1) that milk produced from hay-fed cows differs from that of silage-fed cows and (2) that silage type has an important impact, too. Four diets differing in forage type but with equal estimated milk production potential and a forage:concentrate ratio of 0.85 : 0.15 were compared regarding their effect on feed intake, milk yield and milk properties. The forages tested were hay, grass silage, conventional short-chopped and long-chopped maize silage subjected to a novel processing technology (Shredlage®). Twenty-four dairy cows were fed two of the four diets in two consecutive runs in an incomplete (4 × 2) Latin-square design (n = 12 per diet). Each experimental period lasted 22 d, with 12 d of adaptation and 10 d of sampling. During sampling, feed intake and milk yield were recorded daily, milk composition and coagulation properties were determined four times. The composition of the diet ingredients was analysed weekly. Data were analysed with a mixed model considering feed, period and their interaction as fixed effects. Stage of lactation, milk yield and milk composition from the pre-experimental period were used as covariates in the model. Dry matter intake was lower with the long-chopped processed maize silage compared to the other three groups. There were some diet differences in intakes of net energy for lactation and absorbable protein in the duodenum, but this did not result in changes in milk yield. The milk fat content was higher with the grassland-based diets compared to the maize silage diets. No treatment effect on milk acidity and rennet coagulation properties was observed. In conclusion, there were no indications for specific physico-chemical properties of milk from a hay-based diet, and maize processing technology was not of large effect either. Future investigations should focus on sensory differentiation of the milk produced with different forages.


2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 107-107
Author(s):  
M. H. Fathi ◽  
A. Nikkhah

Cereal grains can provide the major source of energy in diets in order to meet the nutrient requirements of high producing dairy cows. However the amount of starch that can be included in the diets of dairy cows is limited particularly if starch is rapidly fermented such as barley starch. Reduction of feed intake, rumen pH, milk fat test, microbial growth and other metabolic disorders are expected if ruminally degradable starch is fed in amount that cant be efficiently metabolized by rumen microbs. Various techniques for processing barley grain have been developed to decrease the degradability of dry matter in rumen without reducing its extent of digestion. McNiven (1995) showed roasting of barley is more effective treatment. The objective of this experiment was to study of effects the roasting and ammoniation of barley grain on rumen pH, feces pH, milk yield and milk composition in dairy cows.


Author(s):  
Ludmila Křížová ◽  
Jiří Třináctý ◽  
Jarmila Svobodová ◽  
Michal Richter ◽  
Vladimír Černý ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of supplemental lysine (Lys), methionine (Met) or both added to diet of dairy cows in the form of rumen-protected (RP) tablets on changes in milk fatty acids (FA) profile. The trial was carried out on four lactating Holstein cows in the form of Latin square design and was divided into 4 periods of 14 d (10-d preliminary period and a 4-d experimental period). The four treatments were as follows: C – control without amino acids (AA) supplementation, L – supplement of RP Lys, M – supplement of RP Met and ML – supplement of RP Met and Lys. Cows were fed on a diet based on maize silage, lucerne hay and supplemental mixture. Milk yield in ML (34.18 kg/d) was higher than in L or M (32.46 kg and 32.13 kg, respectively, P < 0.05) and tended to be higher than in C (33.33 kg/d, P > 0.05). Protein yield in ML (1054 g / d) was higher than that found in C, L or M (990, 998 or 968 g / d, respectively, P < 0.05). Milk fat content and yield in C and ML was higher in comparison to L and M (P < 0.05). Content of short-chain FA (C 4:0–C 12:0) was not affected by the treatment except of L that was lower than in C (P < 0.05). Content of medium-chain FA in M was lower compared to C, L or ML (P < 0.05). The content of long-chain FA in M was significantly higher than in other groups (P < 0.05). The total content of SFA in M was lower than in C or ML (P < 0.05) and tended to be lower than in L. Contents of UFA, MUFA and PUFA in M were higher than in C and ML (P < 0.05).


2009 ◽  
pp. 69-73
Author(s):  
Edit Mikó Józsefné Jónás ◽  
Imre Mucsi ◽  
István Komlósi

The authors examined the data of 2767 trial milkings andthe months Body Condition Scores of 479 Holstein dairy cows. The condition loss was significant between the 30-60th days. The improvement of BCS begins only after the 120th day. The change in the milk protein and milk fat content were close after the condition changing. In each period of the lactation the closeness of the relationship among the condition, the milk quantity and the milk composition were different. In the aspect of the milk quantity the most significant difference was between the 2.5 and 4 BCS cows (6.68 kg) in the last period of the lactation.


Author(s):  
Jayaraj Neelima ◽  
Purushothaman Sajith ◽  
K. Ally ◽  
Ananth Deepa ◽  
Simon Shibu

An experiment was conducted on early lactating dairy cows to study the effect of rumen protected choline (RPC) and methionine (RPM) on milk yield and composition. Fifteen crossbred dairy cows in early lactation (within 10 days of calving) were selected and randomly allotted to any one of the following three dietary treatments, T1 (Control)- with compound feed mixture containing CP- 20% and TDN- 68% , T2- T1+20g RPM and 20g RPC, T3- with compound fed mixture containing CP- 17%, TDN- 68% + 20g RPM and 20g RPC. All the experimental animals were fed as per ICAR feeding standards (ICAR, 2013). Results revealed no significant difference (p>0.05) in milk yield and 4 per cent fat corrected milk (FCM) yield between the three treatment groups. Among the milk constituents, animals in T3 had significantly higher milk fat (p<0.05), SNF (p<0.05), protein (p<0.05) and total solids (p<0.01) compared to those in T1 and T2. Milk urea nitrogen levels did not differ significantly among the three treatments and were within the normal range. The study showed that milk composition could be effectively improved by supplementing feed with rumen protected forms of choline and methionine in combination at lower dietary protein level without any reduction in milk yield.


1997 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCIS ENJALBERT ◽  
MARIE CLAUDE NICOT ◽  
CORINE BAYOURTHE ◽  
MICHELE VERNAY ◽  
RAYMOND MONCOULON

Dairy cows fitted with ruminal, duodenal and ileal cannulas were utilized to investigate the effects of feeding with Ca soaps (CaS) of palm fatty acids (FA) and rapeseed FA. Diets compared were control diet based on maize silage and concentrate, and two diets with 40 g CaS of palm oil FA or rapeseed oil FA/kg diet, replacing part of the concentrates of the control diet. Total digestibilities of dry matter, fibre and fat, and ruminal fermentation were not significantly altered by giving CaS; the extent of ruminal biohydrogenation of total unsaturated C18 FA was significantly reduced by both CaS diets. Apparent intestinal digestibility of FA was not different among diets, although the amount of FA absorbed with the CaS diets was twice that with the control diet. No difference among diets was observed for milk production, or fat and protein contents. Giving CaS diets decreased the proportions of 4[ratio ]0 to 14[ratio ]0 FA in milk fat, and increased cis-18[ratio ]1n−9, compared with control diet. The rapeseed diet lowered the content of 16[ratio ]0, and increased the contents of 18[ratio ]0 and trans-18[ratio ]1n−7. CaS diets did not result in a marked increase of polyunsaturated FA content in milk fat. Butter from cows fed on the CaS diets contained more liquid fat at 6 and 14°C than butter from the cows fed on the control diet. Incorporating CaS, particularly those from rapeseed, in dairy cows' diets increased C18 FA in milk and improved butter spreadability.


2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 502 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. García ◽  
M. Pedernera ◽  
W. J. Fulkerson ◽  
A. Horadagoda ◽  
K. Nandra

A grazing experiment involving 50 lactating Holstein–Friesian dairy cows was conducted to test the hypothesis that feeding concentrates (range 3–7 kg as fed/cow.day; average 5 kg/cow.day) to grazing cows based on individual (I) cow requirements would increase milk solids yield in comparison to fixed rate (F) allocation to the whole herd (average 5 kg/cow.day for all cows). The experiment comprised two sequential periods that differed only in the way maize silage was offered to cows (either 100% on a feed pad at night or 75% on a feed pad at night, with 25% in a paddock in the morning). Intake of individual cows was estimated using the 13C and n-alkanes method. The rumen degradability of the feeds (lucerne pasture, maize silage and commercial dairy pellets) was measured in parallel, using six rumen-fistulated sheep. Compared with cows in the F group, milk yield and milk fat yield for the I cows increased (P < 0.05) by 3.0 and 11.1%, respectively. As neither milk protein content nor milk protein yield was affected (P > 0.05) by treatment, total milk solids yield (milk fat plus milk protein) was 7.0% higher (P < 0.05) for I cows than for F cows. The increase in milk fat yield was presumably associated with an improved diet nutrient balance in the I cows, as indicated by a significant correlation between fibre intake and milk fat yield for cows in the I group but not for cows in the F group. This is also supported by the results of the rumen degradability of the feeds. In this study, higher-producing cows compensated for their higher requirements by increasing intake of maize silage, rather than pasture, as the former was the less restricted feed on offer. This highlights the importance of offering at least one feed to cows in a less restricted way, in order to enable high-producing cows in the herd to compensate for their higher intake requirements. In conclusion, under the conditions of the present study, feeding concentrates to cows based on individual cow requirements increased milk solids yield at no extra cost.


1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 771 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale

Friesian cows (16) in late lactation grazed pure white clover (Trifolium repens cv. Haifa) swards for 32 days in autumn and were supplemented with maize (Zea mays) silage. Four groups of 4 cows were offered either 19 or 39 kg dry matter (DM)/cow.day of white clover with either 0 or 4.4 kg DM/cow.day of maize silage. All cows were individually fed maize silage and grazed the pasture as individual groups according to treatment. When maize silage was fed, total intake increased, this occurring to a greater degree at the low pasture allowance. The level of substitution of silage for pasture was 0.14 and 0.40 kg DM reduction in pasture intake per kg DM of maize silage eaten at the low and high allowances, respectively. At the low pasture allowance, milk yields were 10.1 and 13.7 kg/cow. day when 0 and 4.4 kg DM/cow.day of maize silage were fed, respectively, and were 15.5 and 15.9 kg/cow.day at the high pasture allowance. Liveweight and body condition increased as plane of nutrition increased but there were no effects of feeding on milk fat or protein contents. Feeding maize silage had little effect on any rumen or faecal variable although there was generally less ammonia nitrogen in rumen fluid when cows were supplemented with maize silage.


1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale

Eight experiments were conducted over 2 years with 92 lactating dairy cows individually fed various combinations of irrigated perennial pasture and maize silage in an indoor feeding facility. Responses to different amounts of maize silage and pasture in early and late lactation were measured. Daily pasture intake ranged from 6.2 to 12.4 kg dry matter (DM)/cow, while maize silage intake ranged from 0 to 12.4 kg DM/cow. The marginal return to feeding maize silage at up to 5 kg DM/cow.day to cows in early lactation eating about 7 kg DM/day of pasture as their basal ration was 0.89 kg extra milk for each kg DM maize silage eaten. In late lactation, this was reduced to 0.63 kg milk/kg DM. Milk yield responses to maize silage at both stages of lactation were lower at higher levels of pasture feeding. Although milk fat content was maintained over a wide range of maize silage, feeding large quantities of maize silage in early lactation was detrimental to milk production. The likely explanation for poor animal performance at the high levels of maize silage was dietary protein insufficiency.


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