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Alkali-Treated Forage for Early Lactation Dairy Cows: Effect on Lactation Performance and Nutrient Digestibility¹

Department of Dairy and Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802 and USDA, Agricultural Research Service, US Dairy Forage Research Center (Pennsylvania Cluster), US Regional Pasture Research Laboratory, University Park 16802

⁴ Reprint Requests: S. M. Abrams, US Regional Pasture Research Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802.

ABSTRACT

Our objective was to determine the effect of sodium hydroxide treatment (4 g NaOH/100 g forage DM) of an alfalfa-orchardgrass forage and its subsequent utilization by early lactation dairy cows. Forage was harvested as hay. Complete mixed diets consisted of 55% control or treated hay and 45% concentrate (DM basis) and were fed to eight early lactation Holstein cows in a crossover design. Chemical composition of hays and complete diets were similar. Intake of dry matter was greater when cows were fed treated hay (23.4 vs. 22.2 kg/d), as was milk yield (32.3 vs. 30.9 kg/d). Yield of 4% FCM, however, did not differ between diets (27.8 vs. 27.4 kg/d). Cows fed the treated hay diet had increased concentrations of total rumen volatile fatty acids and ruminal acetate, decreased ruminal isobutyrate concentration and pH, and increased apparent digestibility of NDF, ADF, hemicellulose, and lignin. Sodium hydroxide treatment also increased the proportion of potentially digestible DM and NDF compared with that of untreated forage. Alkali treatment improved the utilization of medium quality forage in the early lactation dairy cow.

¹ Authorized for publication as Paper Number 7812 in the Journal Series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Department of Dairy and Animal Science.

³ USDA, Agricultural Research Service.

⁵ Department of Agricultural Engineering.

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