The effect of silage made from grass at different stages of maturity on the yield and composition of milk

Abstract

SummaryIn cross-over experiments it has been established that milk yield increased and the fat solids-not-fat (SNF) contents of the milk decreased when cows were given approximately 15 lb dry matter/day of early-cut silage compared with the values obtained by giving the same amount of silage made from herbage cut at a later stage of maturity.Increasing the proportion of concentrates to silage in the cow's diet so that the milk yield remained unchanged increased the SNF content of the milk but had no effect on the fat content.Supplementing early-cut silage with 5 lb hay/day increased the fat content of the milk, but had no effect on either milk yield or the SNF content of the milk.Compared with a silage to which molasses had been added, untreated silage decreased milk yield, and increased the fat content without affecting the SNF content of the milk.