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Direct Addition of Ammonia Solutions to Corn Silage Fed to Dairy Cattle¹

Department of Dairy Science and Animal Husbandry, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824

ABSTRACT

Three lactating cows readily consumed corn silage to which .43% ammonia was added just prior to feeding. No ammonia odors were present, and nitrogen recoveries in silages were 80–90%. In a second trial lactating cows (seven per treatment) were fed corn silage to which .43% ammonia was added at ensiling or just prior to feeding. Treatment was for 9 wk during which silages were fed ad libitum, haylage at 4.5 kg/day, and a 14% crude protein concentrate at 1 kg per 3 kg milk. Silage and total dry matter intakes were higher for the prior-to-feeding than at-ensiling group and may have been related to neutralization of silage acidity by the ammonia. Milk persistencies were not significantly different, but were slightly higher for the ensiling than prior-to-feeding group. In the third trial, silage was mixed with varying ammonia levels (from .43 to 2.55%) and fed to four nonlactating cows. Silage intakes decreased as percent ammonia increased with ammonia intakes plateauing at about 220 g per day. Rumen and blood ammonia at the higher intakes of ammonia were higher than normal, but much lower than in urea toxicity. Only slight ammoniacal odors were detectable at .85% ammonia, but they were strong at 1.28%. Ammonia solutions can be mixed with corn silage just prior to feeding to lactating cows.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal Article no. 6560.

² Present address: Department of Animal Science, Texas A & M University, College Station 77843.