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Performance of Dairy Cattle on Wilted Formic Acid Silages

US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705

ABSTRACT

Orchardgrass and alfalfa-orchardgrass were made into wilted silages that had been ensiled either without treatment or with treatment by formic acid. Formic acid increased energy recovery as silage by 5 percentage units and reduced total fermentation acids by 3 percentage units. It increased sugar recovery and decreased protein degradation. Energy digestibility was not affected by formic acid. Daily milk production increased 3%. Milk production per ton of harvested forage increased 9%. Daily gains of dairy heifers increased 30% with no increase in energy intake but with improved partial feed conversion. Gain per ton of harvested forage increased 31%. Concentrations of plasma of valine, isoleucine, leucine, and phenylalanine in growing heifers increased, but concentrations of serine and glycine decreased.

¹ Deceased.

² USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrition Institute, Ruminant Nutrition Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705.

³ International Programs Division, European Regional Research Office, American Embassy, Rome, Italy.