Abstract
In mountain areas, hays are the main forage in winter diets for livestock. Barn-dried hays can be an alternative to traditional hays, which are generally characterized by a low feed value. The aim of this study was to compare the feed value of barn-dried hays with that of the fresh forage from a permanent meadow. The study was carried out over three periods during the first growth cycle of the meadow’s vegetation (from 30 May to 3 June, from 13 to 17 June, and from 27 June to 1 July). Fresh forage and barn-dried hays of the same fresh forages were tested for dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD), and voluntary intake (VI). Both types of forage obtained each period were tested with an interval of 15 days. Chemical composition and OMD of forages did not change (p > 0.05) according to the feeding method. However, the DMD values for barn-dried hays were higher (p < 0.05) than for fresh forages at the end of the cycle. VI and digestible organic matter intake of barn-dried hays were higher (p < 0.05) than that of fresh forages. In conclusion, barn-dried hays obtained from permanent grasslands presented a higher feed value than fresh forages.
Highlights
In many regions of Europe and in mountain areas, semi-natural grasslands are the predominant land types, and milk and meat production are based on forages they supply
The results found in the present study for CP agree with this statement, but not those obtained for structural carbohydrates, which are more closely related to the digestibility values
organic matter digestibility (OMD) values for the two types of forage and differences for the last period. These results suggest that the digestibility of minerals could be greatly diminished in P3 for fresh forages
Summary
In many regions of Europe and in mountain areas, semi-natural grasslands are the predominant land types, and milk and meat production are based on forages they supply. The grassland systems of these areas seek to maximize the use of grass for grazing purposes, but preserved forages are needed for feeding during the winter or to offset shortages during summer droughts. Poor knowledge of their feed value and the reduced performance obtained when they were compared to seeded forages, such as that provided by Lolium perenne L. grasslands [1], make farmers reluctant to use forages obtained from semi-natural grasslands. The results obtained by Bruinenberg et al. (2002) [1], partially disagree to those obtained by Andueza et al (2010) [2] and Andueza et al (2013) [3]. The nutritive quality of hays is not optimal as it is often conditioned by weather, in spring
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