The nutritive value for dairy cows of silage made from formaldehyde-treated herbage

Abstract

Formaldehyde-prepared silages and untreated silage were made from grass-clover herbage and offered to dairy cows. Formaldehyde was applied at 0.6 and 1.2% of the dry matter of the herbage. The 1.2% formaldehyde-prepared silage had significantly lower concentrations of ammonia nitrogen, total organic acids and propionic acid than untreated silage, but a higher concentration of lactic acid. The 0.6% formaldehyde-prepared silage had a similar degree of fermentation to untreated silage, but more lactic acid and less butyric acid were produced. Treatment with formaldehyde significantly reduced the in vitro digestibilities of dry matter and nitrogen. Cows offered the formaldehyde-prepared silages had significantly greater ad libitum dry matter intakes, produced significantly more milk, protein, butterfat and solids not fat (SNF), and utilized digestible energy more efficiently for milk production than cows offered untreated silage. Differences between treatments in the percentages of butterfat, protein and SNF in milk from cows offered the silages were generally not significant. Treatment with formaldehyde was a suitable method of controlling the ensiling fermentation to Increase the ad lib. dry matter intake and the production of milk and milk components by dairy cows.