| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
* Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Puyallup 98371
Agro Pacific Industries, Inc., Chiliwack, BC
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Des Moines, IA 50131
Department of Biological System Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706
Corresponding author:
J. Harrison; e-mail:
harrison{at}puyallup.wsu.edu.
Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of maturity and mechanical processing of two hybrids of whole plant corn on starch, fiber, and ether extract digestibilities and energy content of the total mixed ration fed to lactating Holstein cows. In the first experiment, Pioneer® hybrid 3845 whole plant corn was harvested at hard dough, one-third milkline, and two-thirds milkline with a theoretical length of cut of 6.4 mm. At each stage of maturity, corn was harvested with and without mechanical processing. In the second experiment, Pioneer® hybrids 3845 and Quanta were harvested at one-third milkline, two-thirds milkline, and blackline stages of maturity with and without mechanical processing. The theoretical length of cut was 12.7 mm. The measured TDN and NEL concentrations were lower for diets containing processed corn silage in experiment 1 and greater for diets containing processed corn silage in experiment 2, compared with diets containing unprocessed corn silage. The lower energy content for diets containing processed corn silage in experiment 1 can be explained by the lower total tract NDF, ether extract, and CP digestibilities. The greater energy content for diets containing processed corn silage in experiment 2 can be attributed to greater total tract starch and NDF digestibilities for cows fed processed corn silage diets. In experiment 2, diets containing processed corn silage (1.59 Mcal/kg) had approximately 2.6% more energy available per kilogram of DM consumed compared with diets containing unprocessed corn silage (1.55 Mcal/kg). For hybrid Quanta in experiment 2, the TDN and NEL concentrations of diets containing corn silage harvested at two-thirds ML were greater than at other maturities.
Key Words: corn silage • mechanical processing • maturity • digestibility
Abbreviation key: BL = blackline, DE = digestible energy, ME = metabolizable energy, ML = milkline, TLC = theoretical length of cut
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  Q. Zebeli, M. Tafaj, B. Junck, V. Olschlager, B. N. Ametaj, and W. Drochner Evaluation of the Response of Ruminal Fermentation and Activities of Nonstarch Polysaccharide-Degrading Enzymes to Particle Length of Corn Silage in Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, June 1, 2008; 91(6): 2388 - 2398. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. M. Cooke and J. K. Bernard Effect of Length of Cut and Kernel Processing on Use of Corn Silage by Lactating Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, January 1, 2005; 88(1): 310 - 316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J.-S. Eun, K. A. Beauchemin, S.-H. Hong, and W. Z. Yang Effects of Mechanical Processing on the Nutritive Value of Barley Silage for Lactating Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, December 1, 2004; 87(12): 4170 - 4177. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. R. Ouellet, H. Lapierre, and J. Chiquette Effects of Corn Silage Processing and Amino Acid Supplementation on the Performance of Lactating Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2003; 86(11): 3675 - 3684. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. M. Johnson, J. H. Harrison, D. Davidson, W. C. Mahanna, and K. Shinners Corn Silage Management: Effects of Hybrid, Chop Length, and Mechanical Processing on Digestion and Energy Content J Dairy Sci, January 1, 2003; 86(1): 208 - 231. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
