The performance of dairy cows offered ensiled whole-crop wheat, urea-treated whole-crop wheat or sodium hydroxide-treated wheat grain and wheat straw in a mixture with grass silage

1995 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Leaver ◽  
J. Hill

AbstractTwenty-four Holstein Friesian cows in experiment 1 and 40 cows in experiment 2 were used over 12 weeks in continuous designs, to evaluate winter wheat as a forage for dairy cows. In experiment 1, whole-crop wheat was ensiled at 350 g dry matter (DM) per kg (EW) or harvested later and stored at 550 g DM per kg following treatment with 40 g urea per kg DM (40W). In addition to these treatments in experiment 2, whole-crop wheat of 550 g DM per kg treated with 20 g urea per kg DM (20W), and combine harvested wheat grain plus wheat straw (40: 60 ratio) treated with sodium hydroxide (SG) were also included. These whole-crop wheat forages were incorporated into the diet at a level of 400 g/kg of the forage DM in experiment 1, and 330 g/kg in experiment 2, with the remainder of the forage being grass silage. A control treatment of grass silage (GS) offered as the sole forage was also included. The forages were mixed in a mixer wagon and offered ad libitum. A fixed level of 8 kg/day of concentrates was offered in experiment 1 and 7 kg/day in experiment 2. Total DM intake was significantly greater for EW and 40W than for GS in experiment 1, but not in experiment 2. Milk yield was not significantly affected by diets (mean 28·8 kg/day in experiment 1 and 29·6 kg/day in experiment 2). Milk fat, protein and lactose contents and yields were also not significantly affected by diets. The additional total metabolizable energy (ME) intake of the whole-crop diets compared with GS was partitioned to live weight. There was no evidence of ME intakes being substantially greater than ME requirements as found in previous studies. A 5 × 5 Latin square digestibility experiment was carried out with Holstein-Friesian heifers offered the individual forages used in experiment 2. Intake was significantly greater for the urea-treated whole-crop wheat forages than for grass silage and for sodium hydroxide-treated grain and straw. The digestible organic matter in the dry matter (DOMD) of grass silage was 692 g/kg and the whole-crop wheat diets ranged from 626 g/kg for ensiled whole-crop wheat to 682 g/kg for the sodium hydroxide-treated grain plus straw (40: 60 ratio), with the DOMD of urea-treated whole-crop being intermediate. The results indicated that whole-crop wheat had higher intake characteristics than grass silage in spite of its lower digestibility.

1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Levy ◽  
Z. Holzer ◽  
Y. Folman

ABSTRACTThe fibrous roughages, wheat straw (WS) and cotton stalks (CS), were left untreated or treated with 30 g sodium hydroxide per kg, and residual alkali was either neutralized with sulphuric acid or left unneutralized. All roughages were pelleted and used either in complete feeds or separately. The effects of these treatments on the nutritive value of the roughages were examined in digestibility trials in vitro and in vivo, and in a 7·month feeding trial of a factorial arrangement of 2 × 3 × 2, in which the roughages constituted 350 g/kg of the diets. Approximately 150 g/kg of the neutral-detergent fibre (cell wall) constituents of both roughages was solubilized by sodium hydroxide treatment, while the changes in acid-detergent fibre components (cellulose and lignin) were much smaller, although evident.In vitro-dry matter digestibility of wheat straw was 22 % higher than that of cotton stalks, and its increase due to NaOH treatment was 50% and 30% for wheat straw and cotton stalks, respectively. In vivo digestibility of organic matter of wheat straw was increased from 0·47 to 0·59, and that of cotton stalks from 032 to 037. The increase was evident in all components except protein, in which digestibility was reduced. The increase in the metabolizable energy values of wheat straw from 6·86 to 7·45MJ/kg dry matter and that of cotton stalks from 4·77 to 5·10MJ/kg dry matter following sodium hydroxide treatment was not reflected in daily live-weight or carcass-weight gain in the feeding trial. The animals offered NaOH-treated roughages had significantly more fat trim, and more fat in the large depots. Including roughages in complete feeds revealed no advantage in metabolizable energy conversion into live weight.


1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Aston ◽  
J. C. Tayler

ABSTRACT1. Experiment 1. Six treatment groups of one British Friesian and four South Devon × British Friesian bulls, initially 432 kg mean live weight and aged 491 days, were offered individually maize or grass silage ad libitum plus 0, 5 or 10g barley dry matter per kg live weight daily for 80 days. The silages had similar digestible dry matter and estimated metabolizable energy contents but the grass silage contained more ammonia and acetic, propionic and butyric acids. Mean values for groups receiving respectively maize and grass silage diets were for dry-matter intake 17·7, 20·3, 20·4 and 13·0, 16·6, 18·7 g/kg live weight and for live-weight gain 1·00, 1·32, 1·46 and 0·65, 0·98, 1·22kg/day. Significantly more maize than grass silage dry matter was eaten when the silages were given alone and dry-matter intakes, live-weight and carcass gains were greater for maize silage diets. Dry-matter intake, live-weight and carcass gains, efficiency of feed use and carcass quality significantly improved when barley was given.2. Experiment 2. Six groups of five British Friesian bulls, initially 418 kg mean live weight and aged 474 days, were offered individually maize silage ad libitum with either urea or one of two quantities of aqueous ammonia mixed in at the time of feeding, plus 0 or 5 g barley dry matter per kg live weight daily for 90 days. The urea and ammonia-treated silages contained 125, 124 and 148 g crude protein per kg dry matter respectively, with pH values of 3·8, 3·9 and 4·3, and when given alone or with barley mean daily intakes (g dry matter per kg live weight) were 17·1, 18·6 for urea-treated silage diets, and 17·8, 18·8 and 16·9, 19·1 respectively for ammoniatreated silage diets. Live-weight gains were 0·69, 0·94, 0·63, 1·09, 0·64 and 1·07 kg/day. Ammonia treatment had no effect on intake or live-weight gain. Live-weight and carcass gains and carcass quality improved when barley was given.3. The maize silage offered in Experiment 1 contained similar metabolizable energy but more starch than that in Experiment 2 and was used more efficiently for live-weight gain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 174-174
Author(s):  
Raul Rivera-Chacon ◽  
Sara Ricci ◽  
Nicole Reisinger ◽  
Qendrim Zebeli ◽  
Ezequias Castillo-Lopez

Abstract Modern dairy production systems require larger inputs of energy in diets to increase milk yield. Therefore, dairy cows are at risk of experiencing subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA). The objective of this study was to evaluate grains and forage rumen degradability in cows fed different diets supplemented with a phytogenic (PHY) feed additive. The experiment was conducted with nine rumen-cannulated non-lactating Holstein cows blocked in two groups of four and five animals, and were part of a cross-over design. This study consisted in 2 runs separated by a 12-week washout period, in which cows grazed on pasture. Each experimental run had one week of forage (F) feeding, one week of transition to a high grain (HG) diet, and four weeks of HG (65:35 concentrate to forage ratio in dry matter basis). Cows were supplemented with PHY (a blend of menthol and thymol) or a control carrier (CON) from week F. Corn and wheat grain were ground through a 4 mm screen, while grass silage was ground through a 6 mm screen. Sampling for in situ degradability was performed in F and in week four of HG diet. Data were analyzed with SAS with week of feeding and supplementation as fixed effects and cow as random effect. Corn and wheat 24-h dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) degradability increased during HG diet compared with F (P < 0.05), grass silage DM and OM 48-h degradability was reduced by HG diet compared to F (P < 0.01). Additionally, wheat grain 24-h OM degradability was higher for PHY compared to CON under F and HG diet conditions (P = 0.05). Overall, diet composition and SARA conditions can influence grains and fiber degradability in the rumen.


Author(s):  
J.D Sutton ◽  
K. Aston ◽  
D.E Beever ◽  
W.J. Fisher

The importance of measuring partition between body and milk in dairy cows and identifying the factors underlying it has long been recognised. However accurate measurements of partition In the body are few because of the difficulty and expense of the techniques.The purpose of the present experiment was to measure the effects in autumn-calving Holstein-Friesian cows given grass silage ad libitum of amount of concentrate and stage of lactation on body composition by direct (Gibb et al 1992a, b) and Indirect (Kings et al 1992) techniques, adipose tissue metabolism (Walsh et al 1992) and milk production. In a related trial, energy balance was measured in other cows by Indirect calorimetry (Cammell et al 1992).This report covers silage Intake, milk production and live-weight change. Communications on the associated studies are given in the Proceedings of this Meeting.


1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Neilson ◽  
C. T. Whittemore ◽  
M. Lewis ◽  
J. C. Alliston ◽  
D. J. Roberts ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the relationships between food intake, milk output and body condition in high-yielding dairy cows is crucial in determining suitable management strategies. During two winter feeding periods 38 and 37 cows were individually fed, to appetite, complete diets which on average contained 11·7 MJ metabolizable energy per kg dry matter and comprised grass silage, concentrate meal and brewers' grains (draff). The groups' mean 305-day yield was 7 240 kg (s.d. 1 281) with 42 g (s.d. 4·3) fat per kg. Regression analysis was carried out to describe dry-matter intake both for 26 weeks post calving and for four successive 6-week periods from calving. The final equations, which had a residual s.d. of 0·07 to 0·10 of the observed intake, included milk yield, cow size and a measure of body-condition change. The cows were divided into three groups (high, medium and low) on two criteria: (1) mean milk yield (MJ/day) during the first 26 weeks of lactation and (2) post-calving backfat index determined ultrasonically. Differences were found between milk-yield groups from gross efficiency (milk yield (MJ)/energy intake (MJ metabolizable energy)) (P < 0·001), mean metabolizable energy intake (MJ/day) (P < 0·01), dry-matter intake as a proportion of live weight (P < 0·05), and post calving live weight (kg) (P < 0·05). Differences were found between backfat-index groups for maximum backfat loss and loss to day 42 (P < 0·001); also for mean live weight during the 26 weeks and post calving live weight (P < 0·001), dry-matter intake as a proportion of live weight (P < 0·05) and lactation number (P < 0·05). Interactions were found between the milk yield groups and backfat groups for milk yield (P < 0·01) and gross efficiency (P < 0·05) with the fattest group containing the highest and lowest yields and efficiencies.


1999 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Zerbini ◽  
Alemu Gebre Wold

AbstractThis study examined whether work applied at different stages of lactation had any effect on reproduction of cows under two feeding regimes. Twenty-four F1 crossbred dairy cows (12 Friesian × Boran and 12 Simmental × Boran) were allocated one of two diets (H + 3: natural pasture hay + 3 kg concentrate per day; and H + 5: natural pasture hay + 5 kg concentrate per day) and one of three work treatments — starting 45 days (D45), 90 days (D90) and 135 days (D135) post partum — using a principal component analysis score based on milk yield, live weight, calving interval and parity. Cows pulled sledges for 50 days (pull = 108 N per 100 kg live weight). Over the experimental period of 315 days, cows on diet H + 5 travelled a similar distance and produced amounts of fat-corrected milk (FCM) similar to those of cows on diet H + 3. Total intake of dry matter per kg live weight 0·75 was higher for cows on diet H + 5 than for cows on diet H + 3 and was similar across work times. Hay dry-matter intake was greater for the H + 3 group than for the H + 5 group at 180 days post partum and thereafter. Cows on diet H + 5 lost less weight in early lactation and gained more in mid and late lactation than cows on diet H + 3. During the work period, live-weight change was similar across diets but it was different between work treatments D45 and D135. The interval from calving to conception decreased by 63 and 101 days when start of work was delayed from D45 to D90 and from D45 to D 135, respectively. Output/input ratios of metabolizable energy equivalents were 0·35 for H + 3 and 0·37 for H + 5 diet, and 0·34, 0·37 and 0·40 for work times D45, D90 and D135, respectively. These results indicate that work started in early lactation significantly increased days to conception and decreased overall productivity of lactating working cows. Farmers must weigh the relative importance and cost of delayed ploughing against those of delayed oestrus or against the cost of borrowing draught power.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arto Kalevi Huuskonen ◽  
Seija Jaakkola ◽  
Katariina Manni

Total mixed rations (TMR) based on grass silage (GS), triticale silage (TS), mixture of GS and TS, barley silage (BS) and mixture of GS and BS were fed to fifty Hereford (HF) and fifty Charolais (CH) bulls. The proportion (g kg-1 dry matter [DM]) of the silages in the TMRs were as follows: (1) GS (600); (2) TS (600); (3) GS (300) and TS (300); (4) BS (600); (5) GS (300) and BS (300). Concentrate proportion was 400 g kg-1 DM. According to feed analyses, the GS had 15 and 8% higher metabolizable energy (ME) concentration as well as 51 and 49% higher crude protein (CP) concentration compared to TS and BS, respectively. Average DM intake (DMI) on TS and BS containing diets was higher compared to GS as a sole forage (p=0.001). Compared to the TS based rations the use of BS rations increased daily DMI by 5% (p<0.05). In CH bulls, DMI decreased 0.8 kg d-1when GS partially replaced TS or BS while in HF bulls the use of silage mixtures slightly increased DMI (0.23 kg d-1). The live weight gain (LWG) and carcass gain of the CH bulls were 5 and 26% higher, respectively, compared to the HF bulls. Inclusion of GS in the diet increased LWG and carcass gain with TS but decreased them with BS (interaction p<0.01). The experiment demonstrated lower feeding value of TS compared to BS in the diet of the bulls. Whole crop silage based rations increased DMI compared to GS as a sole forage in the TMR. When GS partially replaced TS or BS, interactions in LWG and carcass gain results demonstrated higher feeding value for BS and lower for TS compared to GS. Feeding treatments had only minor effects on carcass traits of the bulls.


1990 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. DiCostanzo ◽  
H. Chester-Jones ◽  
S. D. Plegge ◽  
T. M. Peters ◽  
J. C. Meiske

ABSTRACTThree experiments were conducted to determine the metabolizable energy (ME) concentration of dry maize gluten feed (DMGF) in starter (experiment 1), growing (experiment 2) or finishing (experiment 3) diets for steers. Seventy-two weanling Holstein-Friesian steer calves (initially 52 kg live weight); 32 Aberdeen Angus and 24 Shorthorn steer calves (initially 250 kg live weight) and 32 Aberdeen Angus, 24 Shorthorn and 68 crossbred steers (initially 367 kg live weight) were used in experiments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. In experiment 1, calves were given one of three total mixed rations in which energy and protein ingredients on a dry matter (DM) basis were (g/kg): (1) 590 ground maize grain (MG), 260 rolled oats (RO) and 150 soya-bean meal (SBM); (2) 210 DMGF, 400 MG, 260 RO and 130 SBM; or (3) 440 DMGF, 210 MG, 250 RO and 100 SBM. Daily live-weight gains (LWG) and food-to-gain (F/G) ratios were similar across dietary treatments (P > 0·05). Calves given the diet containing 440 g DMGF per kg had higher DM intakes (DMI) than those given no DMGF (P < 0·05). ME concentration of the diet without DMGF was greater than ME concentrations of diets containing DMGF (P < 0·05). In experiment 2, calves were given one of four diets containing, on a DM basis (g/kg): (1) 800 maize silage (MS) and 200 MG; (2) 800 MS and 200 DMGF; (3) 500 MS and 500 DMGF; or (4) 200 MS and 800 DMGF. LWG and DMI of calves given 500 or 800 g DMGF per kg diets were higher than those of calves given 0 or 200 g DMGF per kg diets (P < 0·05). F/G ratios tended to increase and dietary ME concentrations tended to decrease with increasing content of DMGF in diets. In experiment 3, steers were given one of four diets, which on a DM basis were (g/kg): (1) 850 MG and 150 MS; (2) 300 DMGF, 150 MS and 550 MG; (3) 500 DMGF and 500 MG; or (4) 750 DMGF and 250 MG. LWG was not altered when DMGF replaced MG only or MG and MS (diet 2 v. 1 or diets 3 and 4 v. 1, respectively (P > 0·05)) in the diet. Steers given the 300 or 750 g DMGF per kg diets had higher DMI and lower F/G ratios than those fed diets without DMGF (P < 0·05). ME concentration of the diet without DMGF was greater (P < 0·05) than the ME concentration of 300 or 750 g DMGF per kg diets. ME concentration of DMGF, calculated by regression, was proportionately about 0·9 of the value of MG in all experiments and averaged 11·46 MJ/kg DM.


1988 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. K. Sloan ◽  
P. Rowlinson ◽  
D. G. Armstrong

ABSTRACTFollowing a 3-week covariance period, 30 group-housed dairy cows were individually given one of three diets from week 4 to week 13 of lactation to determine any possible advantage in milk yield and production of feeding levels of undegradable protein (+UDP) or rumen-degradable protein (+RDP) above the minimum levels (control) proposed by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC, 1984). The three concentrates given were formulated to be of equivalent metabolizable energy (ME, 13·5 MJ/kg dry matter (DM)) concentration and each consisted of rolled barley plus a protein supplement: control (crude protein (CP), 129 g/kg DM) 0·35 kg DM fish meal per day; +UDP (CP, 167 g7kg DM) 1·0 kg DM fish meal per day; and +RDP (CP, 167 g/kg DM) 1+5 kg DM soya per day. For each group the total ‘concentrate’ allowance per animal per day was 11·6 kg fresh weight and was given in three equal feeds. Grass silage (CP 122 g/kg DM, ME 106 MJ/kg DM) was given ad libitum. For the control, +UDP and +RDP treatments, respectively, mean grass silage intakes were 8·29, 8·62 and 8·65 kg/day and mean milk yields were 26·6, 26·3 and 26·1 kg/day. These were not significantly different (P > 0·05). Milk fat concentration was lower (P < 0·05) for the +UDP treatment (36·4 g/kg) in comparison with the control (38·6 g/kg) or the +RDP treatment (39·7 g/kg) but no other milk constituent was significantly influenced by treatment. There was a trend for a greater live-weight gain with treatment +UDP (0·81 kg/day) compared with the other two treatments (control 0·50, +RDP 0·51 kg/day) but there were no differences in condition-score change between treatments. In this trial there was no advantage to feeding formulated levels of UDP or RDP above those proposed by ARC (1984).


1982 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-429
Author(s):  
Z. Holzer ◽  
D. Levy ◽  
V. Samuel ◽  
D. Drori

ABSTRACTFour groups of 12 beef heifers were each given either straw treated with 35 g sodium hydroxide per kg (TS) or untreated straw (US) and were either supplemented with 35 mg monensin per kg (Ms) or not supplemented (Ns). The diet consisted of approximately 0·40 of a concentrate mixture that contained 12·8 MJ metabolizable energy and 243 g crude protein per kg dry matter, and 0·60 straw. Feeding was ad libitum. The average initial weight of the heifers was 207·2 kg and the experiment lasted 86 days.The average dry matter consumed was 2·3g/kg live weight. Average daily gain (±s.e.) was 505±31·6, 371±33·8, 380±26·2 and 257±32·7g/day for treatment groups TS-Ms, TS-Ns, US-Ms and US-Ns, respectively. These findings indicate that monensin may counteract some ill-effects of diets high in sodium hydroxide-treated straw and thus further research is warranted.


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