The objective of this experiment was to determine the relationship between corn kernel vitreousness and ruminal in situ starch degradation. Fourteen U.S. and five Brazilian corn hybrids cultivated in their respective countries were evaluated. The U.S. dent hybrids were harvested at one-half milk line, black layer, and 21 d after black layer stages of maturity. Brazilian flint hybrids were harvested only at the latest stage of maturity. Vitreousness was determined by manual dissection of the kernels. Ruminal in situ degradation of starch was determined in three lactating Holstein cows fitted with ruminal cannulae. Vitreousness of the five mature Brazilian hybrids averaged 73.1% (range of 64.2% to 80.0%), while vitreousness of the 14 mature U.S. hybrids averaged 48.2% (range of 34.9% to 62.3%). Within the 14 U.S. hybrids, average vitreousness increased from 42.8% to 48.2% as stage of maturity progressed from one-half milk line to 21 d after black layer. The correlation between kernel density and vitreousness was 0.87. The correlations between kernel vitreousness or density and ruminal starch availability were -0.93 and -0.87, respectively. With advancing maturity, kernel vitreousness and density increased while ruminal starch availability decreased. Kernel vitreousness and density may be useful parameters for which to select corn hybrids for high ruminal starch availability. Density may be a more practical measurement than vitreousness for screening large corn data sets.

Two experiments were conducted 1) to validate a field protocol for the determination of ruminal pH and 2) to develop a strategy to interpret ruminal pH data from groups of cows. In the first experiment, ruminal fluid was collected from 30 lactating dairy cows. Ruminal fluid pH was 0.28 pH units lower for fluid collected by rumenocentesis than for fluid collected through a ruminal cannula. Concentrations of volatile fatty acids were correspondingly higher in samples collected by rumenocentesis. A portable pH meter capable of measuring pH of a very small volume of ruminal fluid yielded very similar pH readings as did a standard meter with a pH probe. Filtration or aspiration of ruminal fluid had no effect on pH. In the second experiment, a strategy was developed to use ruminal pH values from a subsample of cows to distinguish between groups fed either a low or higher forage diet. Groups could be distinguished using a cut point of 5.5 ruminal pH, a sample size of 12 cows, and a critical value of 3 or more cows below the cut point. This strategy had the lowest theoretical error rate for herds with either a high or low prevalence of cows with a low ruminal pH.

Chemical analysis of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) provides a useful description of forages and other feeds. However, use of NDF as the sole measure of the fiber contribution of a feed has proved problematic for two classes of feeds: forages processed into differing physical forms and high fiber by-products. By-products and physically fine forages contribute to the fiber value of dairy rations, but contribute less than long forages do. Therefore, some discount factors must be assigned to these feeds if fiber requirements are to be used in balancing the carbohydrate portion of dairy diets. The effectiveness factors applied to NDF from these feeds provide an improved measure of fiber value. The assumptions and trial designs used to measure the effectiveness of NDF based on any single animal response variable are discussed, and improved approaches are suggested. The use of different response variables to measure physical and overall fiber effectiveness is discussed. Measured effectiveness of a high fiber feed differs when estimated by chewing, by the ratio of acetate to propionate, or by milk fat concentration. In all cases, inclusion of negative control treatments is necessary to measure the effect of removing fiber without introducing a substitute fiber source.

Corn cultivated in Brazil is predominantly of hard texture, and more propense to decreased starch digestibility under late harvesting situations than dent hybrids. This work tested the utilization of dent corn as a way of extending the ensilage period without reducing animal performance, and evaluated the potential of sugarcane as a forage for high-producing dairy cows. Nine lactating Holstein cows were allocated to three 3 × 3 latin squares and were fed 200 g of forage neutral detergent fiber per kg of dry matter as either hard texture corn ensiled at the half milk line stage of maturity, soft texture corn ensiled at the black layer stage, or sugarcane. There were no detectable differences between corn hybrids with regard to milk yield (34.2 vs 34.6 kg d ). Organic matter digestibility, chewing activity and rumen pH did not differ among treatments. Sugarcane seems to be a viable option to feed groups of Holstein cows during lactation stages in which nutrient demand is not at a maximum. The performance of dairy cows fed dent corn ensiled at the black layer stage of maturity was similar to the performance of cows fed flint corn ensiled at the half milk line stage. Key words: flint corn, dent corn, digestibility, stage of maturity DESEMPENHO DE VACAS HOLANDESAS ALIMENTADAS COM CANA-DE-AÇÚCAR OU SILAGENS DE MILHO DE DIFERENTES TEXTURA DE GRÃORESUMO: O milho cultivado no Brasil é predominantemente de textura dura, e mais propenso a redução na digestibilidade do amido em situação de colheita tardia que híbridos dentados. Este trabalho testou a utilização de milho dentado como maneira de ampliar o período de ensilagem sem reduzir o desempenho animal e avaliou o potencial da cana-de-açúcar em dietas para vacas leiteiras de alta produção. Nove vacas Holandesas foram alocadas em três quadrados latinos 3 × 3 e alimentadas com 200 g de fibra em detergente neutro oriunda de forragem por kg de matéria seca como milho de textura dura ensilado no estádio de maturação "metade da linha do leite", milho de textura macia no estádio "linha negra" ou cana-de-açúcar. Não foi detectada diferença entre híbridos de milho na produção (34,2 vs 34,6 kg d ). A digestibilidade da matéria orgânica, a atividade mastigatória e o pH ruminal não foram diferentes entre tratamentos. A canade-açúcar parece ser uma opção para alimentar grupos de vacas Holandesas durante fases da lactação na qual a demanda nutricional não é a máxima. O desempenho de vacas leiteiras alimentadas com milho dentado ensilado em estádio de maturação "linha negra" foi similar ao de vacas alimentadas com milho duro ensilado no estádio "metade da linha do leite". Palavras-chave: milho duro, milho dentado, digestibilidade, estádio de maturação

The predominance of vitreous endosperm in hard texture flint corn (Zea mays L.) can decrease ruminal starch digestion comparatively to the farinaceous endosperm of dent corn, reducing energy content of the grain. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of texture and maturity stage on ruminal degradability of corn grain. Two dent and two flint hybrids were harvested at the early dent, half milk line, and black layer stages. The proportion of vitreous endosperm (vitreousness) in dent hybrids was 44.3%, while in flint it was 67.0%. There was a linear increase in vitreousness with advancing maturity. Flint hybrids at the early dent stage were more vitreous than dent at the black layer stage. The increase in vitreousness per maturation day was greater for flint hybrids. Grains were incubated in situ in the rumen of 6 cows. The 24-hour ruminal dry matter degradation was 63.3% for dent corn and 52.4% for flint corn. The 72-hour incubation residues of dent and flint hybrids were 7.6% and 15.6%, respectively. Ruminal degradability was similar between hybrids at the early dent and half milk line stages. There was a marked texture effect on ruminal degradability at the black layer stage (quadratic effect of maturity stage and interaction between texture and maturity stage). Use of dent hybrids, compared to flint hybrids, may result in smaller relative reduction in ruminal starch digestion in situations of late grain harvesting. Key words: vitreousness, endosperm, dent corn, flint corn, rumen DEGRADABILIDADE RUMINAL DE GRÃOS DE MILHO DE TEXTURA DURA OU MACIA EM TRÊS ESTÁDIOS DE MATURAÇÃORESUMO: A predominância de endosperma vítreo em milho (Zea mays L.) flint de textura dura pode deprimir a digestão ruminal do amido comparativamente ao endosperma farináceo de milho dentado, reduzindo o conteúdo energético do grão. O objetivo deste experimento foi avaliar os efeitos da textura e do estádio de maturidade sobre a degradabilidade ruminal de grãos de milho. Dois híbridos dentados e dois duros foram colhidos nos estádios dentado inicial, metade da linha do leite e linha preta. A proporção de endosperma vítreo (vitreosidade) dos híbridos dentados foi 44,3% e a dos duros foi 67,0%. Ocorreu aumento linear na vitreosidade com o avançar da maturidade. Os híbridos duros no estádio dentado inicial foram mais vítreos que os dentados no estádio linha preta. O aumento na vitreosidade por dia de maturação foi maior nos híbridos duros. Os grãos foram incubados in situ no rúmen de 6 vacas. A degradação ruminal da matéria seca em 24 horas foi 63,3% nos grãos dentados e 52,4% nos duros. O resíduo após 72 horas de incubação de híbridos dentados e duros foram 7,6% e 15,6%, respectivamente. A degradabilidade ruminal dos híbridos foi similar nos estádios dentado inicial e metade da linha do leite. O efeito da textura sobre a degradabilidade ruminal foi acentuado no estádio linha preta (P < 0,01 para o efeito quadrático de estádio de maturação e para a interação entre textura e estádio de maturação). A utilização de h...