Effects of mixtures of red clover and maize silages on milk production and Nitrogen utilisation by dairy cows

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 ◽  
pp. 23-23
Author(s):  
R. J. Dewhurst ◽  
R. J. Merry ◽  
L. J. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Starch Content ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
High Intake ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Oil Resources ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
N Use

Legumes are important to sustainable agriculture because of their N fixing ability and consequent reduced reliance on increasingly scarce oil resources. Our previous studies showed consistently higher intakes and milk yields when red clover silage replaced grass silage in dairy cow diets (Dewhurst et al., 2003). However, the increased intakes of a forage which contains higher levels of N led to a reduction in the efficiency of conversion of feed N into milk N (g/g) from around 0.25 to 0.20 or less. Maize silage has similar high intake characteristics, but its low N content and considerable starch content suggest that it would be highly complementary to red clover silage in terms of N-use efficiency. This study evaluated production and efficiency responses to mixtures of red clover and maize silages in comparison with perennial ryegrass silage.

Maize silage and Italian ryegrass silage as high-energy forages in organic dairy cow diets: Differences in feed intake, milk yield and quality, and nitrogen efficiency

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Baldinger ◽  
W. Zollitsch ◽  
W.F. Knaus
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Milk Protein ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Italian Ryegrass ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Organic Dairy

AbstractDuring the winter feeding period in organic dairy production systems in the alpine and pre-alpine regions of Austria and its neighboring countries, maize silage is an energy-rich forage that is regularly included in grass-silage-based diets to improve the energy supply of the cows. Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorumLam.) is also a high-energy fodder grass popular as forage for dairy cows, but it is rarely cultivated in Austrian organic agriculture. The two crops differ in their cultivation demands and characteristics. Italian ryegrass establishes rapidly and may reduce the risk of soil erosion. Italian ryegrass would be a beneficial addition to crop rotation, which is an essential tool in successful organic farming. In a 15-week feeding trial, Italian ryegrass silage and maize silage were fed to 22 lactating Holstein dairy cows. Organically produced Italian ryegrass silage and maize silage were included at a rate of 40% [of dry matter (DM)] in grass-silage-based mixed basal diets. The mixed basal diets were supplemented with modest amounts of additional concentrates (2.7–3.0 kg DM day−1). Owing to the higher energy content of maize silage as compared to Italian ryegrass silage, the maize diet provided more energy [6.3 MJ net energy for lactation (NEL) kg−1DM] than the ryegrass diet (6.15 MJ NEL kg−1DM). The protein supply of the maize diet and the ryegrass diet was intended to be equal, but in fact the protein content of the maize diet was significantly lower (122 g crude protein kg−1DM) than that of the ryegrass diet (141 g kg−1DM). When the maize diet was fed, feed intake, milk yield and milk protein content were significantly higher as compared to the ryegrass diet. Also, intake of crude protein was significantly lower when feeding the maize diet, and in combination with the higher milk protein yield, this enabled an efficiency of gross nitrogen (N) utilization as high as 0.304. This level of N efficiency can be considered as above average and was significantly and considerably higher than the level of 0.259 observed when the ryegrass diet was fed. Therefore, maize silage upholds its reputation as an ideal energy-rich component in grass-silage-based dairy cow diets.

scholarly journals Production and utilization of ensiled forages by beef cattle, dairy cows, pregnant ewes and finishing lambs - A review

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Keady ◽  
Seamus Hanrahan ◽  
Christina Marley ◽  
Nigel David Scollan
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Fertilizer Management ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Feed Value ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

This paper reviews the production of, and factors affecting the performance of dairy cows, beef cattle and sheep offered silage based diets in Ireland and UK. Digestibility is the most important factor influencing the feed value of grass silage and consequently animal performance. Each 10 g kg-1 increase in digestive organic matter in the dry matter (DOMD) increases milk yield of dairy cows by 0.33 kg d-1, carcass gain of beef cattle by 23.8 g d-1 , carcass gain of finishing lambs by 9.3 g d-1, lamb birth weight by 52.3 g and ewe weight post lambing by 1.3 kg, respectively. Factors influencing feed value of grass silage are discussed including harvest date, wilting, fertilizer management, chop length and use of additives at ensiling. Maize silage increases the performance of cattle and sheep whilst whole crop wheat silage has no beneficial effect. Advances in silage technology, has enabled the ensiling high protein forages, such as red clover, lucerne and kale.

Effect of maize silage quality in a mixed forage diet and the crude protein level in the concentrate supplement on milk production of dairy cows

1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 149-149
Author(s):  
J.J. Fitzgerald ◽  
J.J. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Starch Content ◽  
Protein Supplementation ◽  
Optimum Level ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
High Starch Content ◽  
Additional Protein

Good quality maize silage with a high starch content and DM digestibility when fed to dairy cows increased forage intake, milk production and milk protein concentration compared with grass silage or low starch maize silage (Fitzgerald, 1997). Due to the low crude protein (CP) content of maize silage compared with grass silage, additional protein supplementation is required in the concentrate. The optimum level of protein in the concentrate for maize silage based forages differing in starch content was investigated in this study.Three forages consisting of either all grass silage (GS) or mixed forages of grass silage and maize silage (40:60 DM mix) which contained either a low (LSM) or a high (HSM) starch content were offered ad libitum to individually fed dairy cows in early lactation (12 cows/forage). Each forage was supplemented with concentrates (6 kg/day) containing 180, 230 or 280 g CP/kg according to a change over design (3 periods of 3 weeks/period).

Effect of maize silage quality in a mixed forage diet and the crude protein level in the concentrate supplement on milk production of dairy cows

1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 149-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.J. Fitzgerald ◽  
J.J. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Starch Content ◽  
Protein Supplementation ◽  
Optimum Level ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
High Starch Content ◽  
Additional Protein

Good quality maize silage with a high starch content and DM digestibility when fed to dairy cows increased forage intake, milk production and milk protein concentration compared with grass silage or low starch maize silage (Fitzgerald, 1997). Due to the low crude protein (CP) content of maize silage compared with grass silage, additional protein supplementation is required in the concentrate. The optimum level of protein in the concentrate for maize silage based forages differing in starch content was investigated in this study.Three forages consisting of either all grass silage (GS) or mixed forages of grass silage and maize silage (40:60 DM mix) which contained either a low (LSM) or a high (HSM) starch content were offered ad libitum to individually fed dairy cows in early lactation (12 cows/forage). Each forage was supplemented with concentrates (6 kg/day) containing 180, 230 or 280 g CP/kg according to a change over design (3 periods of 3 weeks/period).

Acidogenicity of feeds for dairy cows. 2. Production responses

1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 206-206
Author(s):  
R.J. Dewhurst ◽  
D. Wadhwa ◽  
L.P. Borgida ◽  
D.W.R. Davies ◽  
W.J. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Protein ◽  
Latin Squares ◽  
Standard Diet ◽  
Lactation Performance ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Friesian Cows

Falling prices for cereals and beneficial effects on milk protein concentrations may promote greater inclusions of rapidly fermented ingredients in dairy rations. There is, however, a limit to the inclusion of these feeds into dairy rations beyond which performance declines due to sub-acidosis and related disorders. The feed compounder will need to be able to set limits on levels of feeding concentrates according to these risks. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of feeds of different acidogenicity (Wadhwa et al., 1998) on lactation performance of dairy cows offered diets based on grass- or maize-silage.Twelve multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows in the third month of lactation were used for this experiment. The experimental design involved adaptation and covariance recording on a standard diet (grass silage and 10 kg concentrates per day), followed by three 21-day experimental periods arranged as four 3x3 Latin Squares. The Latin Squares were constrained to a single forage to avoid difficulties in changeovers between grass silage and maize silage.

Replacement of whole crop wheat by grass silage in the diet of dairy cows

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 ◽  
pp. 151-151
Author(s):  
J. Hill ◽  
J.D. Leaver
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
High Intake ◽  
High Ph ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Very High

Previous studies with whole crop wheat (WCW) fed to dairy cows (Hill and Leaver, 1990) showed that high intakes were achieved relative to liveweight when offered as the sole forage, but there appeared to be a poor utilisation of the ME intake. The reasons for this have not been clarified, but the very high intake of ammonia could be a predisposing cause. The place for WCW is therefore likely to be as a proportion of the total forage. The high pH should make it an ideal complement for silage.The objective of this experiment was to replace part of the WCW intake with grass silage.

Incremental effects of ground rapeseed on digestion in lactating dairy cows

2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 ◽  
pp. 107-107
Author(s):  
C.K. Reynolds ◽  
D. J. Humphries ◽  
J. D. Sutton ◽  
B. Lupoli ◽  
D.E. Beever
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Metabolic Effects ◽  
Inhibitory Effects ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Production Study ◽  
Fatty Acid Absorption

Crushed rapeseed and other oil seeds offer an economical source of fat and protein in diets for lactating dairy cows, but the potential inhibitory effects of their unsaturated fatty acids on fibre digestion in the rumen are a concern. Feeding crushed rapeseed in a grass silage-based ration increased milk yield without affecting intake (Reynoldset al., 1998), and had no measurable effects on rumen or total tract digestion (Reynoldset al., 2000). In a companion study, feeding increasing amounts of ground rapeseed in a maize silage-based ration decreased DM intake at higher levels of inclusion (Reynoldset al., 2002). This effect may reflect metabolic effects of rapeseed fatty acid absorption, or negative effects of rapeseed oil on rumen fermentation and fibre digestion. The present study was conducted simultaneously to the production study to determine the incremental effects of ground rapeseed on rumen, post-rumen and total tract digestion in lactating dairy cows fed maize silage-based rations.

Effect on forage intake and milk production of including maize silage in early or mid lactation in dairy cow rations based on grass silage

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 ◽  
pp. 144-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
R H Phipps ◽  
R F Weller ◽  
W J Fisher ◽  
T Poole
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Pricing Policy ◽  
Current Trial ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Forage Intake ◽  
Milk Marketing

Preliminary studies at the Bernard Weitz Centre have shown that maize silage has the potential to increase forage intake and milk production. The trend towards earlier calving, encouraged by the Milk Marketing Board pricing policy, means that maize silage may not be available for early lactation; as most farmers rely on the current seasons crop, and few carry stocks over from the previous year. The objective of the current trial was to determine the eflect on forage intake and milk production of incorporating maize silage into grass silage based rations either from early or mid-lactation.

The effects of feeding compound concentrate supplements with either a low or high level of true methionine digested in the small intestine (DVmet) to dairy cows

1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 22-22
Author(s):  
R.L.G. Zom ◽  
E. Kamerman ◽  
G. Remmelink ◽  
G. van Duinkerken
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Standard Methods ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Cattle Feeds ◽  
True Protein ◽  
High Level

The Dutch DVE/OEB protein evaluation system (Tamminga et al., 1994) gives predictions for the concentration of whole true protein digested in the small intestine (DVE) in cattle feeds, but not for the concentration of single amino acids. Therefore, new standard methods has been introduced for the prediction of true methionine and lysine digested in the small intestine (DVmet and DVlys, respectively) in cattle feeds based on the principles of the calculation of DVE (van Duinkerken and Blok, 1998). These methods give the opportunity to select particular feeds and concentrate ingredients in order to manipulate the concentration of DVmet and DVlys in diets and compound concentrates. However, in the Netherlands, there are no recommendations for DVmet and DVlys in dairy cow rations established yet. An experiment was therefore conducted to study the effects of feeding compound concentrate supplements with either a low (L) or high (H) level of DVmet on feed intake and milk production in dairy cows fed a grass and maize silage mixture ad libitum

Production of lactating dairy cows fed diets with lucerne or red clover silage with or without supplemental maize silage

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 ◽  
pp. 186-187
Author(s):  
G. A. Broderick ◽  
R. P. Walgenbach
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Trifolium Pratense ◽  
Enzyme System ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Northern Europe ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Plant Phenols ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Supplemental Protein

Lucerne (Medicago sativa) is a major, high protein forage fed to dairy cattle. However, during ensiling, much of the CP in lucerne silage (LS) is broken down to nonprotein N (NPN); high levels of NPN in LS depress protein utilisation in lactating dairy cows. Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is a high quality legume forage that can be grown in Britain and Northern Europe. Polyphenol oxidase, an enzyme system in red clover, converts plant phenols into quinones that react rapidly with forage proteins in the silo and result in red clover silage (RCS) having less NPN than LS. Earlier (Broderick et al., 2000), we reported that replacing LS with RCS lowered milk yield but improved feed efficiency and apparent digestibility. Our objective was to compare the production of dairy cows fed equal amounts DM as LS or RCS, with or without maize silage (MS) and supplemental protein added to the diet.

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