Feeding Fermented, High-Moisture Barley to Lactating Dairy Cattle in Conjunction with Silage

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Abstract
Barley, ranging from 20 to 32% moisture, was sealed under plastic film in simple storage units in 1962, 1964, and 1965. The fermented grain was fed as ground, rolled, or whole barley to lactating dairy cattle in switchback feeding trials during the ensuing winters. Experimental rations were based either on the addition of barley to control rations of silage ad lib and concentrates according to production, or on the systematic substitution of barley for silage in control rations with arbitrarily fixed levels of silage and concentrates according to production. When either rolled or ground barley was added to control rations, milk production increased. Although ground barley depressed silage intake, total dry matter intake increased. Silage intake was not determined when rolled barley was fed. Milk production was less when whole barley was added to control rations, or when it systematically replaced silage in control rations with fixed levels of silage intake.