Comparing of alfalfa hay and alfalfa silage on the performance of lactating cows
2011
moayer , A | Fazaeli, H | Shafei Vrzana, H | Bashiri Safa , J
This experiment was conducted to study the possibility of preserving the nutritive value of alfalfa and comparing the alfalfa silage with alfalfa hay in the performance of lactating cows in two stages. In the first stage, alfalfa was harvested, chopped and mixed at first, second and third cut for ensiling. In a complete randomized design with factorial arrangement, three levels of molasses (0.0, 5 and 10 percent), each with four levels (0.0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 g per 40 kg fresh alfalfa) of bacteria (Lalsyl) were mixed with fresh forage and ensiled in the plastic buckets. The results showed that treatments containing 0.2 g Lalsyl and 5 percent molasses was significantly (p0.05) superior in terms of desired indicators include: non protein nitrogen, appearance, pH and crude protein. In the second stage the selected field was divided into two equal parts, half of it was harvested accordance with usual hay making. The other half was harvested, chopper and ensiled based on the results of first stage experiment. After two months of ensiling, silage was compared with alfalfa hay in the diet of lactating cows. In a 3 × 3 cross over time design (three periods each with 15 days adaptation and 15 days data collection) nine multiparous lactating cows were allocated to three experimental diets including: Control, 30 and 60 percent alfalfa silage. Milk yield was 35.15, 38.49 and 38.54 kg per day when cows received control, 30 and 60 percent silage diets respectively that was significantly (p0.05) higher in alfalfa silage diets. Milk fat was 2.85, 3.09 and 3.09 percent and milk protein was 3.06, 3.14 and 3.21 percent for the mentioned treatments respectively that were significantly affected by the treatments (p0.05). Therefore, using alfalfa silage in the diet improved milk production and compositions.
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