HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shaver, R. D. Articles by Jorgensen, N. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Shaver, R. D. Articles by Jorgensen, N. A.

Influence of Amount of Feed Intake and Forage Physical Form on Digestion and Passage of Prebloom Alfalfa Hay in Dairy Cows¹

US Dairy Forage Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, and Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706

ABSTRACT

Six Holstein cows were fed prebloom alfalfa hay in long, chopped, and pelleted form (60:40 hay:grain ratio) in a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square design (21-d periods) conducted in early (wk 3 to 11) and middle (wk 20 to 32) lactation and during the dry period to attain three feed intakes for determination of digesta kinetics. Dry matter intakes averaged 3.75, 2.93, and 1.95% of body weight across intakes. There was no effect of forage physical form on intake or milk production. Chewing activity, ruminal fermentation patterns, and milk fat percent were similar for long and chopped hay treatments. Digestibility of organic matter was reduced 7.9% at high versus low intake and 3.2% when pelleted rather than long hay was fed. Ruminal retention time of ytterbium applied to hay declined with increasing feed intake. There was no effect of chopping or grinding on rumen dry matter fill or retention time of ytterbium applied to hay. Effects of forage physical form on retention time and ruminal fill appear small when low fiber alfalfa is fed. Digestibility depression associated with fine grinding of high quality alfalfa was related to depressed ruminal digestion rate. Digestibility depression at high intake was related to shortened ruminal residence time.

¹ Research supported by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Hatch Project NC-143.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Leonardi, K. J. Shinners, and L. E. Armentano Effect of Different Dietary Geometric Mean Particle Length and Particle Size Distribution of Oat Silage on Feeding Behavior and Productive Performance of Dairy Cattle J Dairy Sci, February 1, 2005; 88(2): 698 - 710. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Rodriguez-Prado, S. Calsamiglia, and A. Ferret Effects of Fiber Content and Particle Size of Forage on the Flow of Microbial Amino Acids from Continuous Culture Fermenters J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2004; 87(5): 1413 - 1424. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Cannas, L. O. Tedeschi, D. G. Fox, A. N. Pell, and P. J. Van Soest A mechanistic model for predicting the nutrient requirements and feed biological values for sheep J Anim Sci, January 1, 2004; 82(1): 149 - 169. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. M. Krause and D. K. Combs Effects of Forage Particle Size, Forage Source, and Grain Fermentability on Performance and Ruminal pH in Midlactation Cows J Dairy Sci, April 1, 2003; 86(4): 1382 - 1397. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. W. Clark and L. E. Armentano Influence of Particle Size on the Effectiveness of the Fiber in Alfalfa Silage J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2002; 85(11): 3000 - 3007. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. M. Krause, D. K. Combs, and K. A. Beauchemin Effects of Forage Particle Size and Grain Fermentability in Midlactation Cows. I. Milk Production and Diet Digestibility J Dairy Sci, August 1, 2002; 85(8): 1936 - 1946. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]