Silage Intake Research Articles

Limpograss [Hemarthria altissima] Silage and Protein Supplementation as an Alternative Feed Option for Growing Heifers in North Florida.

Limpograss (Hemarthria altissima) is a warm-season perennial grass that has the potential to feed livestock during scarcity periods. This study evaluated the intake, nutrient digestibility, and animal performance of beef heifers fed 'Gibtuck' limpograss silage combined with different levels of a range cube supplementation. Twenty-four heifers (330 ± 16 kg live weight) were submitted to four different treatments with 6 replicates: (1) control, no supplementation + limpograss silage ad libitum; (2) 1.4 kg of supplement + limpograss silage ad libitum; (3) 2.8 kg of supplement + limpograss silage ad libitum; and (4) 4.2 kg of supplement + limpograss silage ad libitum. The apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein showed a positive quadratic effect with increasing supplementation levels (p = 0.001, p = 0.002, and p < 0.0001, respectively). Overall, the supplement improved diet digestibility and total DM intake but reduced silage intake, indicating a combined effect (substitutive and additive effect) of the protein supplement. The increasing level of protein supplement increased the average daily gain with a quadratic effect (p ≤ 0.0001). Limpograss silage associated with supplementation can improve diet digestibility and increase the animal performance of growing heifers, providing an alternative for livestock in North Florida.

Effects of grass silage, preserved using formic acid or lactic acid bacteria, on milk production of dairy cows, supplemented with concentrates high or low in metabolizable protein

A continuous production experiment was conducted in Norway with 48 Norwegian Red dairy cows in early- to mid-lactation, to investigate the effect of grass silage with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) or formic acid (FA) additives, on milk yield (MY) and milk protein yield (MPY). Grass wilted to 250 g dry matter (DM)/kg was inoculated with homofermentative LAB to obtain LAB silage, whilst FA silage was produced adding a FA-based additive. The two silages were fed ad libitum and supplemented with an average 10.3 kg of either high (H) or low (L) metabolizable protein (MP) concentrates, in a 2 ✗ 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The treatments were LAB silage and L concentrate, LAB silage and H concentrate, FA silage and L concentrate and FA silage and H concentrate. The use of FA resulted in lower levels of residual water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), and higher levels of ammonia nitrogen (NH3N), compared to LAB. In situ results for FA silage showed lower rumen degradability of crude protein (CP), while gas in vitro results showed lower utilizable CP (uCP), compared to LAB silage (782 vs. 750 g/kg DM and 128 vs. 119 g/kg DM, respectively). The purine over creatinine (PDC) index did not indicate any effects on the microbial protein synthesis (MPS) from any of the treatments. The higher daily intake of FA silage (12.5 vs.13.7 kg DM for LAB and FA, respectively, P < 0.001), did not result in significant differences in daily MY (31.0 vs. 30.2 kg, P = 0.208), nor MPY (1.08 vs.1.07 kg/day, P = 0.878) for LAB and FA, respectively. Feeding H concentrate gave higher MPY (P = 0.036), higher urea in milk (P < 0.001), plasma (P < 0.001) and urine (P = 0.008) and tended to give higher MY (P = 0.063) for both silages. For amino acids (AA) in plasma, alanine was higher for FA silage than for LAB silage (P = 0.030), while histidine (P = 0.001), leucine (P = 0.015) and glutamine (P = 0.007) were higher for both silages when cows were fed H concentrate. In conclusion, the FA and LAB additives did not affect MY or MPY any differently. Feeding H concentrate resulted in higher MPY for both silages, but reduced nitrogen (N) efficiency.

O64 The development of silage intake models for growing cattle

O64 The development of silage intake models for growing cattle

Lipid Characteristics of the Muscle and Perirenal Fat in Young Tudanca Bulls Fed on Different Levels of Grass Silage.

Beef derived from grass-fed cattle is a specific quality criterion. The effect of grass silage intake on quality characteristics, i.e., fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, and lipid-derived volatile composition of intramuscular and perirenal fat from fattening bull weaners were studied. Visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) spectra were also obtained from perirenal fat. Perirenal fat analysis was performed for feeding differentiation purposes. A total of 22 Tudanca breed 11-month-aged bulls were finished on three different diets: grass silage and a commercial concentrate ad libitum (GS-AC), grass silage ad libitum and the commercial concentrate restricted to half of the intake of the GS-AC group (GS-LC), and barley straw and concentrate ad libitum (Str-AC). Feeding had a significant effect (p &lt; 0.05) on γ-linolenic acid and the ratio n-6/n-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, β-carotene content was greater in beef from silage groups than in the Str-AC group. Feeding also affected the perirenal fat composition. Beef from silage-fed bulls and straw-fed bulls could be differentiated by fatty acid percentages, especially 18:0, t-18:1, and c9-18:1, β-carotene content, b* colour value, and carotenoid colour index. However, the VIS or NIR spectra data showed poor differentiating performance, and the volatile composition did not have appreciable differentiation power.

Performance of Dairy Cows Offered Grass Silage Produced within Either a Three- or Four-Harvest System When Supplemented with Concentrates on a Feed-to-Yield Basis.

More frequent harvesting of grass swards provides an opportunity to improve the nutritive value of grass silage. This study investigated the effect of offering silages produced within either a three- (3H) or four-harvest (4H) system on dairy cow performance when concentrate supplements were offered according to the individual cow's milk yield (feed-to-yield). Cows (n = 80) were allocated to either 3H or 4H at calving and remained on experiment for 25 weeks. Within both treatments, cows were offered silage from each harvest consecutively in proportion to the dry matter (DM) yield for each harvest. Silage was offered as a mixed ration with concentrate added at a rate of 8 kg/cow/day. Additional concentrates were offered on a feed-to-yield basis. Herbage yields were reduced in the 4H system, but 4H silage contained higher metabolisable energy and crude protein content compared to 3H. Cows offered the 4H silage had greater silage DM intake, milk yield and milk protein content, while milk fat content was greater in cows offered 3H silages. In conclusion, increasing harvesting frequency from three to four harvests per year can improve silage feed value, silage intakes and milk yields when concentrates are offered on a feed-to-yield basis.

Intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance by sheep offered ensiled tall fescue, meadow fescue or orchardgrass that was fertilized with dairy slurry or urea

Silage intake and utilization by ruminants can be affected by several factors including forage type and fertilization. The objective of this study was to evaluate intake, digestion, and N balance by sheep offered three different ensiled grasses following fertilization with either urea (C) or dairy slurry (S). Plots of meadow fescue (MF), tall fescue (TF) or orchardgrass (OG) were fertilized with urea (52 kg N/ha; MFC, TFC and OGC) or slurry (71,150 L/ha; MFS, TFS, and OGS) on 2 July 2018 following an initial harvest on 29 June 2018. A second harvest was baled 6 August at approximately 57 % moisture and wrapped in plastic. Eighteen lambs (59 ± 1.5 kg) were allocated randomly to one of the 6 treatment combinations to provide 3 lambs per treatment within each of 3 periods for a total of 9 replications per treatment. Each period consisted of a 10-d adaptation and 7-d total fecal and urine collection. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement using PROC MIXED of SAS. Post-ensiled crude protein (CP) concentrations were greatest from MFS and lowest from OGS (P < 0.05), and aNDF, ADF and lignin were greater (P < 0.05) from OG vs TF and MF, regardless of fertilization. Lactic acid concentrations (g/kg DM) in baled silages were greatest from TFC and lowest from MFC and OGS (P < 0.05). Dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) intakes (g/kg BW and BW0.75), digestibility and digestible DM and OM intakes (g/kg BW and BW0.75) were greater (P < 0.05) from MF than from TF and OG across fertilization type and digestible OM intake was greater (P < 0.05) from C vs. S across forages. Digestibility of NDF (g/kg NDF) was greater (P < 0.05) from MF and OG vs. TF across fertilization treatments. Nitrogen retention (g/kg N intake) tended (P = 0.08) to be greater from MF vs. OG and urine N (g/kg N intake and g/kg N excreted) was greater from TF and OG compared with MF across fertilization treatments. Therefore, meadow fescue has the potential to provide a higher-quality forage that will increase intake and digestibility over more conventional orchardgrass and tall fescue. Fertilization with dairy slurry affected certain forage chemical components and reduced organic matter intake but did not impact digestibility when applied 35 d prior to a subsequent harvest.

The effect of grass silage harvesting strategy and concentrate level on feed intake, diet digestibility and milk production of dairy cows

Two experiments were conducted under Northern European conditions to quantify dairy cow responses to variable grass silage quality and concentrate feed supplementation. Experiment 1 included 3 primary growth grass silages (early, intermediate and late maturity stage) supplemented with three concentrate levels (9, 12 and 15 kg d-1). Experiment 2 included three consecutive harvests (first, second and third harvest from the same sward within the growing season) and three levels of concentrate supplementation (9, 11 and 13 kg d-1). Dairy cows responded clearly to changes in the harvesting time of silage in primary growth (quadratic effect) and amount of concentrate (linear effect) in the diet in Experiment 1. Milk yield was the lowest with third harvest silage in Experiment 2, and responses to increasing concentrate allowance were linear. Interactions between silage quality and concentrate supplementation were detected in Experiment 1, where milk production responses to additional concentrate decreased with increasing silage digestibility. No interactions were found in Experiment 2, probably due to the small range of differences in nutritional quality between the silages prepared from different harvests. The results demonstrated that it is difficult to compensate for low silage digestibility by increasing the amount of concentrate. The variable ECM response (from –0.01 to 0.85 kg ECM per kg DM incremental concentrate in the diet) is explained by the concomitant decrease in silage intake and negative effect on diet neutral detergent fibre digestibility.

Animal, Herd and Feed Characteristics Associated with Blastocystis Prevalence and Molecular Diversity in Dairy Cattle from the North of France

Despite the major impact of Blastocystis sp. in terms of prevalence in human and animal populations and the risk of zoonotic transmission, no epidemiological survey has yet been conducted in cattle herds in France. The aim of this study was thus to assess the prevalence and molecular diversity of Blastocystis sp. and associated factors in dairy cattle from the north of France. A total of 1581 fecal samples were collected from 1246 animals reared in 20 farms. Molecular detection of the protozoan was performed by real-time PCR and indicated an overall prevalence of Blastocystis sp. reaching 54.8% in the study population. Important inter-herd variation (from 22.2% to 76.5%) of Blastocystis sp. prevalence was also reported. Sequence analysis of 159 positive samples highlighted a very large predominance of ST10 (36/159) and ST14 (64/159), and ST2 was only found in 2 samples. Mixed subtype infections were common, representing 35.8% of sequenced samples (57/159). A putative correlation between Blastocystis sp. colonization and various animal and herd characteristics or feed intake was subsequently investigated. The protozoan was less prevalent in cows that have recently calved but Blastocystis sp. carriage was not significantly related to age. Blastocystis sp. colonization also decreased with high beet pulp and pasture grass consumption and increased with corn silage intake. Finally, the only significant association between Blastocystis sp. STs and animal and herd characteristics was the number of lactations of cows, with a predominance of ST14 in cows that calved once only.

Digestibility and palatability of Virginia fanpetals (Sida hermaphrodita R.) silage in sheep.

The aim of the current study is to evaluate Virginia fanpetals silage based on an apparent digestibility and palatability test performed on six adult rams. Alfalfa silage was used as standard forage for comparison. Virginia fanpetals samples were harvested in the bud-formation stage and alfalfa samples were harvested in the late bud stage. Virginia fanpetals silage had a crude protein (CP) content of 176 g kg dry matter (DM), a neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of 378 g kg DM, and a lignin content of 42.8 g kg DM. Virginia fanpetals silage had higher acidity (pH of 4.30) and was characterized by intense lactic acid fermentation compared with alfalfa silage (80 % vs. 51 % of the total acids). The digestibility coefficient of Virginia fanpetals silage was as follows: for DM it was 0.707, for organic matter (OM) it was 0.724, for CP it was 0.861, and for NDF it was 0.609. In comparison with alfalfa silage, Virginia fanpetals silage was characterized by higher apparent digestibility of nutrients, but a significant difference was noted only for CP. The voluntary intake of Virginia fanpetals silage was significantly higher than that of alfalfa silage (1427.4 vs. 954 g DM). The greatest differences in voluntary intake were observed 0–2 and 8–12 h after feeding. Virginia fanpetals silage had a chemical composition similar to that of alfalfa, but it was characterized by a more desirable fermentation pattern and higher digestibility, and it was more willingly consumed by rams. The present findings indicate that Virginia fanpetals silage can be fed to sheep.

High-digestible silages allow low concentrate supply without affecting milk production or methane emissions

In this study, we tested a response function comprising responses in milk to changes in organic matter digestibility of silages and concentrate supply. We studied the effect of changes in silage digestibility and concentrate supply on milk yield, feed intake, body weight, and methane production using 60 Norwegian Red cows. The experiment was a complete randomized block design comprising 3 periods. The pre-experimental period lasted 20 d and all the cows were fed a common silage for ad libitum intake and concentrate according to yield. Next, response period 1 lasted 17 d and the cows were divided into 2 treatments, where a low-digestible silage (LDS) was fed to half of the cows, and the other half were fed a high-digestible silage (HDS). Both groups were fed silage for ad libitum silage intake. Concentrate was optimized according to the yield and type of silage offered. In this period, the effect of silage was evaluated using a mixed model, including the results from pre-experimental period, with parity as a covariate and animal as a random effect. In response period 2, which lasted 20 d, the concentrate level was evaluated by dividing the silage digestibility treatments further into 3 subgroups. Concentrate was increased by 2 kg of dry matter (DM) per day, decreased by 2 kg of DM/d, or remained unchanged. In response period 1, silage treatments were optimized to obtain similar yields and resulted in a lower concentrate offer to HDS treatment. However, the HDS treatment showed a 3.0 kg of DM/d higher total feed intake due to a higher than expected silage intake. This resulted in 3.5 kg higher energy-corrected milk (ECM). Methane emissions were similar between silage treatments, but HDS showed lower methane per kilogram of DM due to its higher intake. The effect of concentrate supply level and interaction with silage digestibility was evaluated using mixed models, including the results for response period 1, with parity as a covariate and animal as a random effect. The reduction in concentrate offer by 2 kg/d in response period 2 was compensated for by increased 1.3 kg of DM/d of silage intake for HDS, resulting in similar intake (22.1 kg of DM/d and 21.7 kg of DM/d without and with concentrate reduction, respectively) and ECM yields (29.4 and 29 kg of ECM without and with concentrate reduction, respectively). However, concentrate offer reduction could not be compensated for by increased silage intake for LDS and resulted in lower milk yields (27.5 kg of ECM). Increased concentrate showed a higher marginal ECM response (kg of ECM per kg of additional concentrate intake) for LDS (1.8 vs. 3.3 kg of ECM for HDS and LDS, respectively). Thus, the drop in milk yields could be compensated for by increased concentrate offers if LDS are fed. Total methane production increased with increased concentrate intake, regardless of silage digestibility. Methane emissions per unit of milk were affected by total DM intake rather than by changes in silage digestibility and concentrate level. The results of this study are based on short-term periods and could show differences if study periods were longer; the results should be interpreted accordingly.

Cyberlindnera jadinii yeast as a protein source in early- to mid-lactation dairy cow diets: Effects on feed intake, ruminal fermentation, and milk production

We examined the effects of substituting soybean meal with either yeast protein from Cyberlindnera jadinii or barley in concentrate feeds on feed intake, ruminal fermentation products, milk production, and milk composition in Norwegian Red (NRF) dairy cows. The concentrate feeds were prepared in pellet form as soy-based (SBM; where soybean meal is included as a protein ingredient), yeast-based (YEA; soybean meal replaced with yeast protein), or barley-based (BAR; soybean meal replaced with barley). The SBM contained 7.0% soybean meal on a dry matter (DM) basis. This was replaced with yeast protein and barley in the YEA and BAR concentrate feeds, respectively. A total of 48 early- to mid-lactation [days in milk ± standard deviation (SD): 103 ± 33.5 d] NRF cows in their first to fourth parity and with initial milk yield of 32.6 kg (SD = 7.7) were allocated into 3 groups, using a randomized block design, after feeding a common diet [SBM and good-quality grass silage: crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of 181 and 532 g/kg of DM, respectively] for 14 d (i.e., covariate period). The groups (n = 16) were then fed one of the dietary treatments (SBM, YEA, or BAR) for a period of 56 d (i.e., experimental period). The concentrate feeds were offered in split portions from 3 automatic feeders using electronic identification, with ad libitum access to the same grass silage. Dietary treatments had no effect on daily silage intake, total DM intake, or total NDF intake. Dietary CP intake was lower and starch intake was higher in the BAR group compared with the other groups. Ruminal fluid pH, short-chain volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, acetate-to-propionate ratio, and non-glucogenic to glucogenic VFA ratio were not affected by dietary treatments. No effects of the dietary treatments were observed on body weight change, body condition score change, milk yield, energy-corrected milk yield, milk lactose and fat percentages, or their yields. In conclusion, yeast protein can substitute conventional soybean meal in dairy cow diets without adverse effect on milk production and milk composition, given free access to good-quality grass silage.

Silagem de dieta total de cana de açúcar ensilada com quitosana e inoculante microbiano homoláctico: características da silagem e digestão animal

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate total mixed ration silages with sugarcane and the additives microbial inoculant and chitosan. Thirty mini-silos were used in a completely randomized design, with three treatments and ten replications. Silages were composed of sugarcane mixed with corn bran, whole soybean, urea, and mineral mixtures at a 50:50 roughage to concentrate ratio. Treatments consisted of control silage, microbial additive (Lactobacillus plantarum + Pediococcus acidilactici, 4 g/t of KeraSil, Kera Nutrição Animal), and chitosan (10 g/kg of natural matter). Silages were evaluated for fermentation and microbiological profile, fermentation losses, aerobic stability, chemical-bromatological composition, intake, and digestibility. Fermentation profile showed no significant difference between treatments for pH values, with a mean value of 4.79. Production of acetic and propionic acids showed no difference between treatments, with mean values of 7.34 and 0.053 mmol/kg DM, respectively. Dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein intake of the total mixed ration silage differed statistically from the other treatments (P&lt;0.05), but fresh sugarcane and sugarcane silage intake did not differ from each other (P&gt;0.05). Digestibility values of DM, OM, and NDF were higher in the total mixed ration silage (P&lt;0.05), while sugarcane silage and fresh sugarcane showed no difference from each other (P&gt;0.05). Total mixed ration silage increased nutrient intake and digestibility, with a better fermentation pattern when added with the microbial inoculant.

The Quality, Intake, and Digestibility of Virginia Fanpetals (Sidahermaphrodita L. Rusby) Silage Produced under Different Technologies and Its Effect on the Performance of Young Cattle.

Simple SummaryCompetition for high-quality arable land has prompted a search for alternative forage crops. For example, Virginia fanpetals is a high-yielding perennial plant with low soil requirements. Due to its chemical composition, it can be a valuable component of ruminant diets. Previous research has shown that it cannot be used for hay production, and the natural moisture content of silage was unsatisfactory. Laboratory analyses suggest that the quality and feed value of Virginia fanpetals silage may be affected by harvesting and preservation methods. However, to date, most studies have focused on the nutritional value of Virginia fanpetals silage and its inclusion in animal diets. Therefore, the present study investigated different harvesting and preservation methods, such as direct-cut harvesting with a forage harvester, and harvesting after field wilting with a forage harvester or a round baler. The quality parameters, intake and digestibility of silage, and the performance of growing bulls, fed the experimental silage, as the sole forage was evaluated. It was discovered that the highest-quality silage was produced when herbage was harvested with a forage harvester after field wilting.Different harvesting and preservation methods of Virginia fanpetals herbage were evaluated, based on the chemical composition and digestible organic matter (OM) content (D-value) of silage fed to adult sheep, the intake and digestibility of silage, and the performance of young cattle. The following harvesting methods were compared: direct-cut harvesting with a precision-cut forage harvester (DC), harvesting after field wilting with a precision-cut forage harvester (WC) or a round baler (WRB). The silage was fed for 81 days to 24 Polish Holstein Friesian (HF) bulls, as the sole forage supplemented with 3.0 kg of concentrate/head/day. Harvesting methods affected the density (p < 0.001) and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content (p = 0.047). Differences were found among the groups in the digestibility coefficients of OM (DC-73.7, WC-78.9, WRB-79.9%) (p = 0.007), and crude protein (CP) (69.8%, 77.1%, 78.5%, respectively) (p < 0.001). Dry matter intake (DMI) reached 8.38 kg (DC), 8.74 kg (WC) and 7.21 kg (WRB). Live weight gain (LWG) differed (p < 0.001) among groups (0.939, 1.033, 0.813 kg/day, respectively). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) tended to improve in WC (8.66 kg DMI/kg LWG) (p = 0.08). The highest-quality silage was produced in group WC, and it could be successfully fed to growing bulls as the sole forage.

Changes of Milk Metabolomic Profiles Resulting from a Mycotoxins-Contaminated Corn Silage Intake by Dairy Cows.

In this study, an untargeted metabolomics approach based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) was used for investigating changes in chemical profiles of cow milk considering diets based on mycotoxins-contaminated corn silages. For this purpose, 45 milk samples were classified into five clusters according to the corn silage contamination profile, namely (1) low levels of Aspergillus- and Penicillium-mycotoxins; (2) low levels of fumonisins and other Fusarium-mycotoxins; (3) high levels of Aspergillus-mycotoxins; (4) high levels of non-regulated Fusarium-mycotoxins; (5) high levels of fumonisins and their metabolites, and subsequently analyzed by UHPLC-HRMS followed by a multivariate statistical analysis (both unsupervised and supervised statistical approaches). Overall, the milk metabolomic profile highlighted potential correlations between the quality of contaminated corn silages (as part of the total mixed ration) and milk composition. Metabolomics allowed to identify 628 significant milk metabolites as affected by the five levels of corn silage contamination considered, with amino acids and peptides showing the highest metabolite set enrichment (134 compounds). Additionally, 78 metabolites were selected as the best discriminant of the prediction model built, possessing a variable importance in projection score >1.2. The average Log Fold-Change variations of the discriminant metabolites provided evidence that sphingolipids, together with purine and pyrimidine-derived metabolites were the most affected chemical classes. Also, metabolomics revealed a significant accumulation of oxidized glutathione in milk samples belonging to the silage cluster contaminated by emerging Aspergillus toxins, likely involved in the oxidative imbalance. These preliminary findings provide new insights into the potential role of milk metabolomics to provide chemical indicators of mycotoxins-contaminated corn silage feeding systems.

A comparison of grass silages harvested at first, second and third cut on feed intake and milk production of dairy cows

The objective of this study was to compare the milk production potential of first, second and third harvest of grass silage from the same sward in Northern latitudes. Three change-over design dairy cow feeding experiments were conducted during different years which differed markedly in weather conditions. The silages were supplemented with a cereal based The objective of this study was to compare the milk production potential of subsequent first, second and third cuts of grass silage from the same sward in Northern latitudes. Three change-over design dairy cow feeding experiments were conducted during different years which differed markedly in weather conditions. The silages were supplemented with a cereal based concentrate (average concentrate proportion 431 g kg-1 diet dry matter). Feed intake and milk production was highest with first-cut and lowest with third-cut silage. The energy corrected milk yields averaged over three experiments were 35.0, 33.2 and 31.9 kg d-1 for first, second and third harvest silages, respectively. Respective dry matter intakes were 23.1, 21.9 and 20.7 kg d-1. Compared to analysed feed values, the average intake of third-cut silages was lower than expected. Due to the high risk of low intake potential of third-cut silages, they are not recommended for cows in early lactation if there are other silages available.

Effects of pre-ensiling treatments on feed choice and short-term dry matter intake of lucerne silages by goats

The three pre-ensiling treatments dry matter (DM) concentration, wilting intensity and sucrose addition have recently been shown to affect the chemical composition of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) silages (LS) with highest true protein preservation and improved fermentation quality when lucerne was wilted with high intensity to 35% DM concentration and ensiled with the addition of sucrose. Provided that ruminants prefer these LS to those produced under other pre-ensiling conditions, an improved provision of dietary energy and nutrients may be achieved. However, information on how such pre-ensiling treatments influence the feed choice and DM intake (DMI) of ruminants is lacking and thus, feed choice trials with ten Saanen-type wethers were conducted. The LS were tested in two separate trials split by the factor sucrose addition. In both trials, the animals first passed an adaptation period receiving each differently pre-treated LS (n = 4) and lucerne hay that served as a control for one day to gain forage-specific post-ingestive responses. Subsequently, each possible two-way combination of forages was offered to the animals to determine the forage preference, i.e. 30-min and 3-h DMI. The DM concentration affected the feed intakes at both time points with greater preference for 35% DM LS than for 25% DM LS and a higher consumption was observed for sucrose-treated LS than for untreated LS when related to control lucerne hay. In contrast, wilting intensity showed no influence on DMI. The higher intake of high DM or sucrose-treated LS was likely related to the superior silage quality as indicated by high negative correlations of DMI and non-protein nitrogen, ammonia-nitrogen, acetic acid, butyric acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid concentrations.

Nutritive Value and Preference of Guinea-Grass Ensiled with or without Additive by West African Dwarf (WAD) Goats

A study was designed to investigate silage additives’ effect on preference and nutritive value of five weeks re-growth guinea grass by West African dwarf (WAD) goats. The silages of five weeks re-growth guinea grass were made without additive (T1), with cassava peels additive (T2), and with fermented epiphytic juice of lactic acid bacteria in Panicum maximum (FEJPM) additive (T3). The effects of silage additives on preference, voluntary feed intake, growth, digestibility, and nitrogen utilization were assessed using 18 growing WAD goats (BW: 5.88±0.26 kg) in a completely randomized design. Dry matter was significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher in T2 silage (40.70 g/100g) than in T1 silage (39.00) and T3 silage (34.60). Crude protein values were similar (p&gt;0.05) in T1 and T3 silages (10.63 and 10.72 g/100g DM) that were significantly lower (p&lt;0.05) than that in T2 silage (12.54 g/100g DM). The silages of guinea grass had acceptable physical attributes in terms of color, odor, and texture, with pH values ranging from 3.87- 4.97. T1 and T3 silages were rejected, whereas T2 silage was accepted well by the experimental WAD goats. Average daily feed intake (ADFI) was significantly (p&lt;0.05) the highest in the WAD goats fed T2 silage (303.30 g/day), and the lowest (p&lt;0.05) was found in WAD goats fed T1 silage (271.60 g/day). Similar to the ADFI, the highest average daily gain (ADG) was found in WAD goats fed T2 silage (37.25 g/day), and the lowest ADG (p&lt;0.05) was found in WAD goats fed T1 silage (24.50 g/day). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of WAD goats fed T2 silage (8.15) was superior to those of WAD goats fed T1 silage (13.63) and T3 silage (9.66). Crude protein and dry matter digestibility values were higher (p&lt;0.05) in WAD goat fed T2 silage (68.24 and 63.87%, respectively) than in WAD goats fed T1 and T3 silages. Nitrogen intake and balance were significantly (p&lt;0.05) the highest in WAD goats fed T2 silage (12.41 and 8.68 g/day, respectively), and these variables were similar in WAD goats fed T1 and T3 silages. Nitrogen retention was not affected by the silage additives. It was concluded that cassava peels were better than FEJPM as a silage additive since it improved fermentative quality, acceptability, feed intake, and digestibility of guinea grass silage by WAD goats.

Grass silage composition and nutritive value on Northern Ireland farms between 1998 and 2017

AbstractGrass silage is the predominant conserved forage offered to ruminant livestock within Northern Ireland (NI) when housed. This study involved the analysis of a dataset (n = 76,452 samples) comprising silage samples from commercial farms, analysed by the Agri‐Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) between 1998 and 2017. The effects of harvest number (1, 2 or 3) and year were examined. Most of the differences between harvests 1–3 were significant although these differences were of little biological significance. Silage crude protein (CP) increased from harvests 1 to 3, while ammonia N concentration was higher in 3rd harvests. Acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) concentrations decreased from harvest 1 to 3, while dry‐matter (DM) digestibility and D‐value (% DM) were higher in 1st compared to 2nd harvest. Across the twenty year period, silage DM and water soluble carbohydrate concentrations increased, while ADF and NDF concentrations decreased. Crude protein concentration did not change over time. There was no significant improvement in silage digestibility. While silage intake potential for dairy cows increased by approximately 8% (from 88.8 to 96.1 g kg W0.75, meant across all harvests), silage intake potential for beef cattle increased only within harvest 1. Despite overall increases in silage DM concentration, silage digestibility parameters did not show any significant improvement over the 20‐year period, highlighting the need for a renewed focus on improving silage nutritive value.

Animal performance, economic analysis and digestibility in rabbits in the growth phase supplemented with silage

The use of fodder is a possibility in the reduction of the alimentary cost in the rabbit breeding due to the digestive physiology of this animal. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the animal performance, to analyze the economic viability and to evaluate the digestibility in rabbits supplemented with different types of silage. The experiment was conducted at IFRS, Ibirubá Campus. The rabbits were evaluated from 58 to 100 days of age. The experimental unit was one rabbit per cage. Four treatments and six repetitions were used. The treatments were basal diet (BD), basal diet plus oat silage supplementation (BD+OS), basal diet plus corn silage supplementation (BD+CS) and basal diet plus sorghum silage supplementation (BD+SS). The basal diet and silages were offered ad libitum throughout the trial period. The performance variable analyzed daily feed intake (DFI), daily silage intake (DSI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion. In the economic analysis the total cost of feed and viability was calculated. The dry matter digestibility coefficient (DM), crude protein (CP), crude energy (CE), fiber in acid detergent (FAD), fiber in neutral detergent (FND) were analyzed. The DFI (g/day) was higher (P &lt; 0.01) and the feed conversion better (P &lt; 0.01) in animals that received the treatment with BD. The DSI was higher in the treatment with BD+CS (P &lt; 0.01), 53 g/day. The lowest ADG was in the treatment with BD+OS (32 g/day). The economic viability was better using oat silage in supplementation. There was a difference (P &lt; 0.05) in the dry matter digestibility coefficient (DMDC), being the treatment with BD and BD+SS with the highest coefficients (0.601 and 0.599, respectively). The supplementation with silage altered the digestibility of DM, CE, FND, FAD. The lower FAD digestibility coefficient was for BD (0.127) and the higher for BD+SS (0.737). The use of silage of oats, corn and sorghum in the feeding does not alter performance of rabbits in the phase of growth being viable the use in the feeding.

Macromineral and trace element concentrations and their seasonal variation in milk from organic and conventional dairy herds

To study the effects of dairy production system on milk macromineral and trace element concentrations, milk samples were collected monthly in 2019 from 43 conventional and 27 organic farms. Organic milk contained more Ca (1049.5 vs. 995.8 mg/kg), K (1383.6 vs. 1362.4 mg/kg), P (806.5 vs. 792.5 mg/kg) and Mo (73.3 vs. 60.6 μg/kg) but less Cu (52.4 vs. 60.6 μg/kg), Fe (0.66 vs 2.03 mg/kg), Mn (28.8 vs. 45.0 μg/kg), Zn (4.51 vs. 5.00 mg/kg) and Al (0.32 vs. 1.14 μg/kg) than conventional milk. Significant seasonal variation was observed in all determined minerals’ concentrations. Milk I concentration was not consistently affected by production system, whereas organic milk contained less I in June and July than conventional milk. Dietary factors contributing to different milk mineral concentrations between production systems included intakes of maize silage, dry-straights and oils (higher in conventional diets), and pasture, clover and wholecrop (higher in organic diets).