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Comparison of Milo and Barley for Lactating Cows. II. Effects of Roughage Intake and Season¹

Department of Dairy Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson

ABSTRACT

The feeding value was determined for two ratios of milo and barley (1:3 and 3:1), two levels of roughage intake (40 and 60% of ration by weight), and two seasons of the year (summer and winter) for lactating dairy cows. The milo-barley mixtures, along with molasses and cottonseed meal, were fed in pelleted form, while the roughage was good-quality alfalfa hay. All rations were fed individually to each animal, so that total feed consumption equalled 110% of Morrison's feeding standard for maintenance and production.

Production and gross composition of milk, component fatty acids of the milk fat, feed conversions, and rumen volatile fatty acids (VFA) were determined. The following conclusions were drawn: a) No differences were noted in the ability of milo or barley to support milk production, b) The pelleted milo and barley were equally palatable, c) High environmental temperature caused greater variability of all factors studied than did the lower temperatures, d) Per cent milk fat was depressed during the summer, e) While per cent fat appeared to be depressed by high concentrate, the depression was not statistically significant, f) Low roughage caused increased propionate and decreased acetate levels in the rumen during summer, g) High concentrate-high barley resulted in increased body weight gains, h) Barley caused increases in feed conversion, i) High evironmental temperatures caused a depression of the short-chain fatty acids of the milk fat.

¹ Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Paper no. 1181.

² Present address: Ministry of Agriculture, Tripoli, Libya.