THE EFFECT OF PLANTING DENSITY ON THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CORN SILAGE FOR LACTATING COWS

1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 1143-1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. FISHER ◽  
N. A. FAIREY

A late-maturing corn hybrid, Funk brand G4444, was planted in 2-ha plots at 60 000 plants per hectare (low density) and at 100 000 plants per hectare (high density). At harvest, the dry matter and ear contents were 24.2 and 34%, respectively, for the low-density treatment and 22.8 and 28%, respectively, for the high-density treatment. Two groups of 10 lactating cows were used to compare the nutritive value of the ensiled forages over a 10-wk feeding period. Silage dry matter intake, milk yield and milk fat content were 10.33 kg/day, 27.11 kg/day and 3.52% for the cows fed high-density silage compared to 11.79 kg/day, 31.88 kg/day and 2.91% for those fed the low-density silage. Feeding the low-density silage resulted in a decreased level of acetic acid in the rumen and an increased level of propionic acid. Blood hematocrit and plasma calcium levels were lower for cows fed the silage from the low-density planting. Dry matter digestibility of the complete ration was 72.5 and 71.8% for the high- and low-density plantings, respectively. It was concluded that an increased ear content of approximately 10 percentage units resulted in a corn silage which was consumed more readily, altered rumen fermentation and caused a decrease in milk fat content. Key words: Corn silage, lactating dairy cows, planting density

2019 ◽  
Vol 157 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-71
Author(s):  
A. C. Vieira ◽  
C. J. Olivo ◽  
C. B. Adams ◽  
J. C. Sauthier ◽  
L. R. Proença ◽  
...  

AbstractThe effects of growing pinto peanut mixed with elephant grass-based pastures are still little known. The aim of the current research was to evaluate the performance of herbage yield, nutritive value of forage and animal responses to levels of pinto peanut forage mass mixed with elephant grass in low-input systems. Three grazing systems were evaluated: (i) elephant grass-based (control); (ii) pinto peanut, low-density forage yield (63 g/kg of dry matter – DM) + elephant grass; and (iii) pinto peanut, high-density dry matter forage yield (206 g/kg DM) + elephant grass. The experimental design was completely randomized with the three treatments (grazing systems) and three replicates (paddocks) in split-plot grazing cycles. Forage samples were collected to evaluate the pasture and animal responses. Leaf blades of elephant grass and the other companion grasses of pinto peanut were collected to analyse the crude protein, in vitro digestible organic matter and total digestible nutrients. The pinto peanut, high-density dry matter forage yield + elephant grass treatment was found to give the best results in terms of herbage yield, forage intake and stocking rate, as well as having higher crude protein contents for both elephant grass and the other grasses, followed by pinto peanut with low-density forage yield + elephant grass and finally elephant grass alone. Better results were found with the grass–legume system for pasture and animal responses.


1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 799-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. GRIEVE ◽  
J. H. BURTON ◽  
H. E. BRAUN ◽  
R. FRANK

Shredded newsprint is a potential source of bedding for livestock, but because it may contain certain heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls significant voluntary consumption of newsprint by animals would be undesirable. To determine consumption levels, 18 Holstein cows in mid-lactation (average 19 wk) were used in a double latin square design. Squares represented access to shredded newsprint or chopped hay in the feed manger except during feeding time. Within squares, cows were allotted to each of three complete mixed rations over three 6-wk treatment periods. Rations comprised hay crop silage, corn silage, high moisture grain corn and soybean meal with roughage:concentrate ratios of 30:70 (LR), 50:50 (MR) and 70:30 (HR). Mixed rations were fed according to individual cow requirements for energy depending on body weight, milk yield and milk fat percent. Cows were allowed 4 h after each of two feedings per day to consume their allotted mixed ration. Voluntary consumption of newsprint was only 0.3 kg per cow per day or 2% of total dry matter intake while for those offered hay consumption was 2.6 kg∙cow−1∙day−1 or 15% of total dry matter intake. Intakes of mixed rations were unaffected by roughage:concentrate ratio or newsprint versus hay. However, total dry matter consumption (mixed ration plus newsprint or hay) was higher for cows offered hay (17.3 kg∙cow−1∙day−1) than for those offered newsprint (15.1 kg∙cow−1∙day−1). Levels of heavy metals in milk or blood samples of cows with access to newsprint were within normally accepted ranges. PCBs were at undetectable levels in all cases. Bedding cows with newsprint is unlikely to result in significant consumption or contamination of animals or their products. Key words: Lactating cows, newsprint consumption, heavy metals


1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 427-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. BURGESS ◽  
J. W. G. NICHOLSON

The relative nutritive value of male sterile corn silage (23.7% dry matter) and regular corn silage (26.5% dry matter) was determined with lactating dairy cows during three consecutive crop years. The regular corn hybrid had 25% of the kernels removed by black birds prior to harvesting. Grain was fed according to milk production (1 kg/2.75 kg milk) and silage was offered ad libitum as the only forage. Dry matter, soluble carbohydrate and insoluble nitrogen percentages were lower while crude protein and acid detergent fiber levels were higher in the male sterile corn silage. Apparent digestibilities of dry matter, nitrogen and energy determined with sheep were not different between silages. Silage dry matter intake and total dry matter intake were higher (P < 0.05) for cows fed regular corn silage in only one of the three trials. Actual milk, 4% fat-corrected milk yields and milk fat and protein percentages were not affected by silage treatment. Key words: Male sterile corn, silage, dairy cows


Author(s):  
U Hidayat Tanuwiria ◽  
Raden Febrianto Christi

Abstract  Lemna minor is a water plant that is easily obtained and has a good nutrient content that is high in protein. High protein for livestock can be used for production purposes. The study aims to determine the effect of administration of lemna minor on fat content, specific gravity, and dry matter without fat milk of friesien holstein dairy cows. The object of the study was 20 second-to-four-month FH lactating cows in the Dairy Farmer Group of Kp Tanggung Renteng Village, Pamegatan Village, Cikajang District, Garut Regency, West Java Province, then kept for 60 days and given feed according to treatment, namely R0 = Grass 60% + Concentrate 40%, R1 = 50% Grass + 40% Concentrate + 10% wet Lemna, R2 = 60% Grass + 37% Concentrate + 3% Dry Lemna, R3 = 50% Grass + 37% Concentrate + 10% Wet Lemna + 3% Dry Lemna, R4 = Grass 45% + Concentrate 38% + Wet Lemna 15% + Dry Lemna 2%. The results showed that the effect of administering lemna minor did not affect on fat content, specific gravity, and dry matter without milk fat. The conclusion that administration of lemna minor in dairy cattle feed cannot increase fat content, specific gravity, and dry ingredients without fat Holstein friesien milk.  Keywords : lemna minor, fat content, density, solid non fat   Abstrak  Lemna minor merupakan tanaman air yang mudah diperoleh dan memiliki kandungan nutrient yang baik yaitu protein tinggi. Protein yang tinggi bagi ternak dapat dimanfaatkan untuk meningkatkan produksi.  Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemberian lemna minor terhadap kadar lemak, berat jenis, dan bahan kering tanpa lemak susu sapi perah friesien holstein. Objek penelitian yang digunakan adalah 20 ekor sapi FH laktasi kedua sampai empat bulan di Kelompok Peternak Sapi Perah Kp Tanggung Renteng Desa Pamegatan Kecamatan Cikajang Kabupaten Garut Provinsi Jawa Barat kemudian dipelihara selama 60 hari dan diberikan pakan sesuai dengan perlakuan yaitu R0= Rumput 60% + Konsentrat 40%, R1= Rumput 50% + Konsentrat 40% + Lemna basah 10%, R2= Rumput 60% + Konsentrat 37% + Lemna Kering 3%, R3= Rumput 50% + Konsentrat 37% + Lemna Basah 10% + 3% Lemna Kering, R4= Rumput 45% + Konsentrat 38% + lemna basah 15% + Lemna Kering 2%. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pengaruh pemberian lemna minor tidak berpengaruh terhadap (P>0,05) kadar lemak, berat jenis, dan bahan kering tanpa lemak susu. Kesimpulan bahwa pemberian lemna minor dalam pakan sapi perah tidak dapat meningkatkan kandungan lemak, berat jenis, dan bahan kering tanpa lemak susu friesien Holstein.  Kata kunci : lemna minor, kadar lemak, berat jenis, bahan kering tanpa lemak


1971 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 669-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. IBRAHIM ◽  
J. R. INGALLS

Twenty lactating cows were used over two growing seasons to compare three complete feeds containing corn silage, alfalfa grass silage or ground hay, with long hay as the control. The roughage to concentrate ratio was 6:4 in experiment 1, and 4:6 in experiment 2. There were no significant (P < 0.05) differences m dry matter and total digestible nutrient (TDN) intake among roughage sources except for corn silage in experiment 1. The molar percentage of acetic, butyric, valeric, isobutyric and isovaleric and the molar proportion of acetic to propionic were not affected (P < 0.05) by different sources of roughage. In experiment 1, TDN, dry matter, crude protein and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) digestibility was lower (P < 0.05) for the corn silage diet. However, in experiment 2 there were no significant differences (P < 0.05) in TDN, dry matter, crude protein and NFE digestibility among the experimental treatments. Blood glucose and urea concentrations were not affected by roughage sources. The mean daily (experiment 1) milk yields of cows fed long and ground hay mixtures were greater (P < 0.05) than those of cows fed the alfalfa grass silage mixture; however, the mean daily fat-corrected milk (FCM) yield was not affected (P < 0.05) by the source of roughage (experiment 1). The mean daily milk yield and FCM yield were not affected significantly (P < 0.05) by roughage source (experiment 2). The percentage of milk fat, and solids-not-fat, were not influenced (P < 0.05) by roughage source (experiments 1 and 2). Roughage source appeared to have little effect on molar ratios of fatty acids found in the milk fat.


1980 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-384
Author(s):  
L. J. FISHER

Fifteen lactating Holsteins were used to test processed aspen added to corn silage at the levels of 0, 10 and 20% (dry matter basis). The experiment was designed as a latin square with three experimental periods each 42 days in length. The forage mixtures were fed free choice to the cows, which were housed in a free-stall barn, and their individual feed intakes were recorded by using electronic doors. The processed aspen contained 45.4% dry matter, 73.7% acid detergent fiber and 0.54% protein. There was no evidence of heating or mold growth in the aspen during the 5 mo of the trial. Silage dry matter intake and milk yield were 11.8, 13.4 and 13.4 and 25.7, 27.0 and 26.8 kg per day, respectively, for the silage mixtures containing 0, 10 and 20% processed aspen. Fat test was decreased slightly and milk protein content significantly (P < 0.05) depressed by the addition of 20% processed aspen chips to the corn silage. Efficiency of milk yield was not significantly influenced (P > 0.05) by the inclusion of aspen chips in the silage. Neither the molar proportion of acetic acid nor the ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid in the rumen fluid was changed when the cows were fed silage containing processed aspen chips. The apparent digestibilities of total ration dry matter and protein were lowered significantly by the addition of 10% aspen chips to the forage mixture. It was concluded from the results of this trial that steam-processed aspen chips had little nutritive value when fed to lactating cows as a partial substitute for corn silage.


1960 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. B. Rodrigue ◽  
N. N. Aixen

Three series of digestion trials, involving a total of 20 lactating cows, were conducted to compare the digestibility and rate of passage of hay ground to various degrees of fineness, with that of unground hay.Grinding the hay in a ration composed of two parts hay and one part concentrate by weight produced an earlier initial excretion of hay residues in all cows. Excretion of finely ground hay was also more rapid than unground hay throughout the period. The change in excretion time due to grinding was statistically significant.The most marked effect on digestibility was the highly significant decline (P < 0.01) in digestibility of fibre and/or cellulose as a result of grinding hay. This was mainly responsible for the highly significant decrease (P < 0.01) in dry matter digestion. Grinding also significantly lowered (P < 0.05) the digestibility of ether extract in trials of series II and of protein and N.F.E. in trials of series III.A relationship was established between rate of passage of hay and digestibility of the total ration. The finer the hay was ground, the greater was the depression in digestibility of the total ration and the faster the rate of excretion. The large depression in the digestibility of the cell wall constituents was associated with a marked decrease in milk fat percentage.


1983 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. FISHER ◽  
V. G. MacKAY

Four trials, each employing 10 cows were designed as 2 × 2 latin squares, with each experimental period consisting of a 1-wk preliminary period and a 4-wk period for data collection. The objective of the experiments was to determine the effectiveness of either sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), NaHCO3 plus magnesium oxide (MgO) or bentonite as buffers when they were mixed with corn silage just prior to feeding. The treatments compared were: Trial I, control vs. NaHCO3 (180 g·cow−1·day−1); Trial II, control vs. bentonite (300 g·cow−1·day−1); Trial III, control vs. NaHCO3 (180 g·cow−1·day−1) plus magnesium oxide (MgO, 60 g·cow−1·day−1) and Trial IV, NaHCO3 (180 g·cow−1·day−1) vs. bentonite (300 g·cow−1·day−1). Silage dry matter intakes (SDMI) were 10.61 vs. 10.93 and milk yields were 26.6 vs. 29.3 kg/day for control vs. NaHCO3 in Trial I; 10.03 vs. 10.39, and 29.5 vs. 30.1 for control vs. bentonite in trial II; 10.62 vs. 10.69, and 23.6 vs. 24.7 for control vs. NaHCO3 + MgO in Trial III and 11.49 vs. 10.79, and 29.4 vs. 29.5 for NaHCO3 vs. bentonite in Trial IV. In the latter trial cows fed silage supplemented with bentonite had significantly lower milk fat and protein percentages and rumen pH compared to those supplemented with NaHCO3. Similarly in Trial II cows fed bentonite had lower rumen pH and milk protein percentage than the control cows. It was concluded the bentonite did not act as a buffer and was not beneficial when added to corn silage just prior to feeding. NaHCO3 improved milk yield in one trial and milk fat percentage but the degree of response did not warrant its routine use as a supplement to corn silage. Key words: NaHCO3, MgO, bentonite, corn silage, lactating cows, buffers


1982 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 213 ◽  
Author(s):  
J-L Prioul ◽  
JH Silsbury

The initial planting density of subterranean clover swards is known to affect the subsequent crop growth rate in such a way that a low density crop reaches the same final yield as does one sown at high density. To explain this phenomenon, daily carbon influxes and effluxes were measured during the growth of 'low' and 'high' density swards in a constant environment. The growth characteristics of individual plants in the sward and the photosynthetic responses of individual leaves to light were measured during ontogeny. Good agreement was found between the growth curves reconstructed from daily carbon increment and growth curves previously derived from dry matter sampling. The crop growth rate of a low density sward was found to be higher than that of a high density sward, and this is shown to be due to a lower respiratory loss. The high respiration rate of a high density crop can be attributed to plant mortality when dry matter density is higher than 400 g m-2. The photosynthetic light response curves of individual leaves at the top of the canopy were not found to be affected by the initial planting density, which suggests that subterranean clover plants are extremely well adapted to growth under sward conditions.


1983 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. ERFLE ◽  
S. MAHADEVAN ◽  
R. M. TEATHER ◽  
F. D. SAUER

A total of 41 multiparous Holstein cows were randomly allocated, prepartum, to one of five diets. Diets were (1) a negative control consisting of 15.5% soybean meal (SBM) concentrate plus control corn silage (CS) (12.6% crude protein, (CP)); (2) 33.5% SMB concentrate plus CS (15.6% CP); (3) 15.5% SMB concentrate plus urea-treated corn silage (UCS) (15.1% CP); (4) 12% fishmeal (FM) concentrate plus UCS (15.4% CP); and (5) 26% FM concentrate plus CS (16.2% CP). Concentrates and CS or UCS were mixed (40:60, dry matter) daily and fed ad lib for a 305-day lactation period. An increase in dietary CP from 12.6% in the negative control to 15.4% by the inclusion of FM and UCS significantly (P < 0.05) increased 305-day milk production while a similar increase in CP by inclusion of SBM and UCS did not. Milk fat content (%) was higher (P < 0.05) for cows fed diets 2 and 3 than for those fed diets 1 and 5. Fat production (g/day) during weeks 13–16 of lactation was greater for cows receiving diets 2, 3 and 4 than for those on diets 1 and 5. Body weight gain during the lactation was significantly (P < 0.05) greater for animals on diet 5 than those on the other four diets. Compared to the negative control, rumen ammonia concentration was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated when soybean meal was fed alone or in combination with UCS but not when when FM was similarly fed. The results suggest that NPN was effectively utilized when used to increase total dietary CP from approximately 12 to 15%. Key words: Fishmeal, soybean meal, urea-treated silage, dairy cattle


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