Ruminal degradability, feeding behavior and production performance in dairy cows fed ear corn silage
2018
Tada, S. (Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center, NARO, Sapporo (Japan)) | Aoki, Y. | Oshita, T.
Two experiments were conducted to investigate the feed characteristics of ear corn silage (ECS). In experiment 1, we compared in situ ruminal degradability of ECS with that of flaked corn (FC) using two dry cows. The rapidly degradable fraction and the fractional disappearance rate of the dry matter and the starch of the ECS were higher than those of the FC. In experiment 2, a crossover trial with eight lactating cows was performed to investigate the feeding behavior, intake and milk production in dairy cows fed the ECS as a substitution of the FC in grass silage based mixed ration. The cows were offered the diets two times daily (morning (09 : 30) and evening (16 : 30)) for ad libitum. Although there were no differences between diets in the first meal duration after morning feeding and the intake during the first meal, the first meal duration after evening feeding was shorter for cows fed ECS than those fed FC (P = 0.004). The intake during the first meal after evening feeding was also lower for cows fed ECS (P = 0.024). On the other hand, the intake between end of evening meal and morning feeding was higher for cows fed ECS than those fed FC (P = 0.015). No significant effects of the substitution were observed on the daily intake. There were no significant differences due to the diets in the milk yield and compositions. These results indicate that when the feeding interval is short, feeding the ECS as a substitution of the FC would depress the first meal after feeding but stimulate the feeding behavior after the first meal, and thus the daily intake and the milk production were maintained in dairy cows.
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