ALFALFA FED AS FORMIC-ACID-TREATED SILAGE, DEHYDRATED PELLETS OR HAY IN MIXED RATIONS WITH CORN SILAGE FOR LACTATING COWS

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Abstract
Alfalfa was conserved as formic-acid-treated silage, dehydrated and pelleted forage and as field-cured hay, and used with and without corn silage for a digestibility trial with sheep. Digestibility of dry matter (DM) was higher for hay than for dehydrated forage but not higher than for silage. Crude protein digestibility was higher for silage and for hay than for dehydrated alfalfa. Acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility was lowest on dehydrated forage while hemicellulose digestibility was highest. The inclusion of corn silage in the diets increased digestibilities of DM, energy, hemicellulose and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) but decreased crude protein, and ADF digestibilities. A feeding trial using 20 lactating cows in a four-period changeover design compared silage, hay and dehydrated alfalfa, each in combination with corn silage as forage sources. A corn silage control was also used. Concentrate was fed at a ratio of 1 kg for each 4 kg of milk produced. Cows fed hay or pellets consumed more forage DM than cows fed only silages, but milk production was the same for the three alfalfa sources. Milk fat content was depressed by 0.5 percentage units in the milk of cows fed pellets. Efficiency of utilization of digestible energy (DE) and protein for milk production was higher for the alfalfa silage treatment than for hay or pellets. A lower acetic acid and a higher propionic acid concentration was measured in the rumen fluid of cows fed pellets than for cows.

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