Abstract
This study compared the effects of unchopped and chopped hay on milk production and composition, feed digestibility, and physiology of Lacaune sheep. Eighteen ewes were stratified by parity (two or three), days of lactation (60 ± 3.7 days), and milk production (1.04 L/ewe/day), and were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) Unchopped or 2) Chopped Tifton 85 hay. Corn silage and concentrate were also provided. Chopped hay ewes gave lower (P≤0.01) dry matter intake and greater (P=0.02) crude protein digestibility. No effects of treatment were detected (P≥0.38) for the digestibility of dry matter, or of neutral and acid detergent fibers. Chopped hay ewes had greater (P≤0.01) milk production (d 7 and d 12), lactation persistence, and feed efficiency. Ewes eating chopped hay had greater (P=0.03) protein concentration in their milk. However, there were no effects of treatment × day and treatments (P≥0.16) for concentrations of fat, lactose, minerals, deffated dry extract, or density. Ewes eating chopped hay presented lower (P<0.01) serum concentrations of urea and tended to have lower (P=0.10) serum concentrations of glucose only on d 12. However, there were no effects of treatment × day and treatments (P≥0.16) for serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, globulin, triglycerides, or cholesterol. These data suggest that chopped hay promotes lower dry matter intake and serum concentrations of glucose and urea, but improves milk production, lactation persistence, feed efficiency, and protein concentration.
Highlights
The forage particle size influences dry matter intake and digestibility in castrated sheep (Tafaj et al, 2009), as well as dry matter intake in lambs (Norouzian and Valizadeh, 2014) and lactating sheep (Helander et al, 2014)
These data suggest that chopped hay promotes lower dry matter intake and serum concentrations of glucose and urea, but improves milk production, lactation persistence, feed efficiency, and protein concentration
Researchers verified that forage particle size has the potential to affect dry matter intake and performance of dairy cows but its effects are modulated by forage level, source, and preservation method (Nasrollahi et al, 2015)
Summary
The forage particle size influences dry matter intake and digestibility in castrated sheep (Tafaj et al, 2009), as well as dry matter intake in lambs (Norouzian and Valizadeh, 2014) and lactating sheep (Helander et al, 2014). Researchers verified that forage particle size has the potential to affect dry matter intake and performance of dairy cows but its effects are modulated by forage level, source, and preservation method (Nasrollahi et al, 2015). The use of tropical grass hay is common (Silva et al, 2019) because tropical and subtropical climates are conducive to these crops (corn and grass). These feeds are given to dairy sheep because they are low-cost and are favored for large-scale use; despite this, a lack of scientific research on this subject is noticeable, especially with Tifton 85 hay
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