The use of alfalfa cubes as partial replacement for conventional roughages and protein sources
1999
Hadjipanayiotou, M. | Economides, S. (Agricultural Res. Inst. (Cyprus))
In most Mediterranean countries domestically produced forage is no readily available during dry years. As a result, pelleted or cubed alfalfa of high density is imported. Two trials using 48 lactating Chios ewes (59r*7.6 days in milk) were carried out to study the effect of partial replacement of long barley straw with alfalfa cubes (3.2x3.2x2.6 cm) in isonitrogenous and isofibrous diets, on milk yield and milk composition. There was no difference (P0.1) between treatments for milk yield (Cows: control 20.9, cubes 21.2: Ewes 1.73, cubes 1.66 kg/head/day), fat corrected milk yield, milk composition and initial and final body weight of the animals. All cows on alfalfa cubes showed mild bloat symptoms during the first 16 days of the experiment, which were restricted to four animals later on. There was no difference between diets in rumen ammonia-N concentration, but there was a trend (P0.08) towards lower ruminal pH in ewes on cubes compared to the control group. Based on the findings of the present study it can be concluded that in dry years, imported alfalfa cubes can be used as partial replacement for scarce domestic roughages and of imported protein sources, but the introduction of cubes should be gradual (over a period of 7 to 10 days), and be proceeded by of long forage to eliminate adverse effects due to bloat
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