JDS
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 74 No. 2 526-536
© 1991 by American Dairy Science Association ®
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Llamas-Lamas, G.
Right arrow Articles by Combs, D. K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Llamas-Lamas, G.
Right arrow Articles by Combs, D. K.

Effect of Forage to Concentrate Ratio and Intake Level on Utilization of Early Vegetative Alfalfa Silage by Dairy Cows

G. Llamas-Lamas 1 and D. K. Combs 1

1 Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706

Two experiments were conducted to measure the effects of intake and forage: grain ratio on utilization of early maturity alfalfa silage in dairy cows. In Experiment 1, diets with three forage:concentrate ratios (percentage of silage, percentage NDF): low (56, 28.3), medium (71, 31.0), or high (86, 33.4) were fed ad libitum to six lactating, ruminally cannulated cows in a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square. The same diets were then fed at 1.3 x maintenance intake to six gestating dry cows. Daily milk yield and percentage and yield of milk protein and casein were higher for cows fed the low silage diet than for cows receiving other treatments. Fat percentage and yield were not different among diets. Lactating cows consumed more DM on low silage (23.0 kg/d) than on medium or high silage diets (21.4 kg), but NDF intake as percentage of BW was higher for the high silage diet. Digestibility of DM in the lactating (70.7, 69.9, and 67.5% for low, medium, and high) and dry cows (76.7, 73.5, and 69.0%, respectively) decreased as the level of silage increased. Depression in digestibility was greater as dietary concentrate increased. Cows fed the high silage diet had a faster fractional passage rate of solids and higher rumen fill. Digestion of concentrate cell walls appeared to be depressed more than alfalfa cell walls as intake increased.

Key Words: alfalfa • intake • digestion

Submitted on March 30, 1990
Accepted on August 27, 1990




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Professional Animal ScientistHome page
H. M. Arelovich, C. S. Abney, J. A. Vizcarra, and M. L. Galyean
Effects of Dietary Neutral Detergent Fiber on Intakes of Dry Matter and Net Energy by Dairy and Beef Cattle: Analysis of Published Data
Professional Animal Scientist, October 1, 2008; 24(5): 375 - 383.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 J DAIRY SCIHome page
W. Z. Yang and K. A. Beauchemin
Altering Physically Effective Fiber Intake Through Forage Proportion and Particle Length: Digestion and Milk Production
J Dairy Sci, July 1, 2007; 90(7): 3410 - 3421.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1991 by the American Dairy Science Association ®.