Grass silage particle size when fed with or without maize silage alters performance, reticular pH and metabolism of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows

Autor: U. Tayyab, R.G. Wilkinson, G.L. Charlton, C.K. Reynolds, L.A. Sinclair
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Zdroj: Animal, Vol 13, Iss 3, Pp 524-532 (2019)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1751-7311
17517311
DOI: 10.1017/S1751731118001568
Popis: The particle size of the forage has been proposed as a key factor to ensure a healthy rumen function and maintain dairy cow performance, but little work has been conducted on ryegrass silage (GS). To determine the effect of chop length of GS and GS:maize silage (MS) ratio on the performance, reticular pH, metabolism and eating behaviour of dairy cows, 16 multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows were used in a 4×4 Latin square design with four periods each of 28-days duration. Ryegrass was harvested and ensiled at two mean chop lengths (short and long) and included at two ratios of GS:MS (100:0 or 40:60 dry matter (DM) basis). The forages were fed in mixed rations to produce four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets: long chop GS, short chop GS, long chop GS and MS and short chop GS and MS. The DM intake (DMI) was 3.2 kg/day higher (P
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