Comparison of maize and alfalfa silages on milk production, milk composition and blood components of dairy cows
1997
Belibasakis, N.G. (Aristotelian Univ., Thessaloniki (Greece). Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) | Progia, E. | Papaioannou, A.
Twenty multiparous Friesian cows, 60 to 100 days postpartum, were allotted to two groups of 10 cows according to calving date, lactation number, and daily milk production and were assigned randomly to one of two diets. The maize diet was 55 % maize silage (dry basis), 20 % soybean meal, 22 % ground maize, and 3 % mineral and vitamin mix. The alfalfa diet was 55 % alfalfa silage, 10 % soybean meal, 32 % ground maize, and 3 % mineral and vitamin mix. The two diets contained similar quantities of crude protein and metabolizable energy. The dry matter, metabolizable energy and crude protein intakes, milk production, and milk fat, protein, lactose, total solids and solids not fat contents, as well as milk fat and protein yields and body condition score, were not significantly affected when maize silage was given to lactating cows, compared with that of cows given alfalfa silage. No differences were observed in blood serum concentrations of glucose, total protein, albumin, urea, triglycerides, cholesterol, Na, K, Ca, P and Mg between maize and alfalfa silages.
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