Acetic Acid Treatment of Reconstituted Sorghum Grain for Dairy Cos

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Abstract
Rations containing air-dry (90% dry matter), water reconstituted (70% dry matter) or acetic acid reconstituted (70% dry matter, 2~o acetic acid) sorghum grain were compared in digestion and production trials. Coefficients of ap- parent digestibility for all chemical com- ponents were highest for the water re- constituted grain ration and lowest for the dry grain ration; however, only soluble sugars, starch and ash differences were statistically significant. Lactating cows fed a 40:60 hay: concentrate ration consumed equal quantities of total dry matter, but cows fed the two recon- stituted rations consumed more hay and less concentrate dry matter than cows fed the dry grain ration. Fat-corrected milk production was not affected by grain treatment, but actual milk produc- tion was higher by cows fed the water reconstituted grain ration than cows fed dry grain ration. Milk fat percent and yield were decreased by water recon- stitution, yet no difference occurred be- tween acetic acid reconstitution and dry grain rations. Milk protein percent was higher for cows fed the acetic acid re- constituted grain ration than those fed the dry grain ration. Molar percentage of ruminal acetic acid from cows fed the water reconstituted grain ration was lower than from those fed the other two rations. Acetic acid from reconstituted grain was sufficient to maintain ruminal acetic acid and milk fat percentages.