Effect of feeding long or short wheat hay v. wheat silage in the ration of lactating cows on intake, milk production and digestibility

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate in lactating cows the effect of either chopping or ensiling of wheat roughage on: intake, digestibility, lactation performance and animal behavior. Three groups of 14 lactating cows each, were fed total mixed rations (TMRs) based on either long wheat hay (HL), short wheat hay (HS) or wheat silage (SI), as the sole roughage source (30% of TMR dry matter (DM)). Parameters examined: sorting behavior, DM intake, milk yield and composition, rumination, recumbence, average daily rumen pH, digesta passage rate, and in-vivo digestibility. Performance data was summarized by day and analyzed using a proc-mixed model. The content of physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) was similar in the HL and SI and lower in the HS, resulting in similar differences among the three corresponding TMRs. In vitro DM digestibility of wheat silage was higher than that of the two hays (65.6% v. 62.8%) resulting in higher in vitro DM digestibility of the SI-TMR compared with the hay-based TMRs (79.3 v. 77.0%). HS-TMR was better than HL- or SI-TMRs at preventing feed sorting by cows after 12 or 24 h eating of the diets. Cows fed HS-TMR consumed more DM and NDF but less peNDF than the other two groups. Average daily rumen pH was similar in the three groups, but daily rumination time was highest in the cows fed HS-TMR. Rumen retention time was longest in cows fed HL-TMR. DM digestibility in cows fed SI-TMR was higher than that of HS and HL groups (65.2%, 61.8% and 62.4%, respectively), but NDF digestibility was similar in the three treatments. The highest intake of digestible DM was observed in cows fed SI-TMR, HS cows were intermediate and HL cows were the lowest. Consequently, cows fed SI-TMR had higher yields of milk, 4% fat corrected milk and energy-corrected milk (47.1, 42.9 and 43.2 kg/day, respectively) than cows fed HS-TMR (45.7, 41.0 and 41.0 kg/day, respectively) or HL-TMR (44.1, 40.3 and 40.3 kg/day, respectively). Net energy production (NEL+M+gain) per kg DM intake was highest in the SI-TMR, lowest in the HS-TMR and intermediate in the HL-TMR (1.52, 1.40 and 1.45, respectively). Animal welfare, as expressed in daily recumbence time and BW gain was similar in the SI and HS groups and higher than the HL cows.

Microbiome niche modification drives diurnal rumen community assembly, overpowering individual variability and diet effects

“…The cows were grouped for similar physical conditions-age in months, body weight, and daily milk production-and were at the same stage of lactation. The cows were fed diets consisting of 30% forage and 70% concentrate that differed in their forage source and chop length, as described by Shaani et al [22], and fed a total mixed ration ad libitum, provided once a day. Two cows belonging to two different groups were excluded from the experiment due to veterinary considerations.…”

Microbial community and fermentation characteristic of whole-crop wheat silage treated by lactic acid bacteria and Artemisia argyi during ensiling and aerobic exposure

“…To control costs alternative forms of animal feed need to be urgently identified. Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is a versatile crop that is used for grain, pasture, or silage in worldwide ( Shaani et al, 2017 ). It presents a high nutritive value, protein content, productivity, and digestibility and also contains good vitamins concentrations and fiber digestibility or even significantly higher than hay and corn ( Crovetto et al, 1998 ).…”

Nutritional Value, Fermentation Characteristics and In Vitro Degradability of Whole Wheat Hay Harvested at Three Stages of Maturity

“…A previous study found that the digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) tended to be lower in hay than silage, yet feeding hay increased the total feed intake, milk yield and nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows, as compared to silage [ 8 ]. Shaani et al [ 9 ] also concluded that short WCWH could be a better forage source than whole crop wheat silage due to greater feed intake. These studies demonstrated that WCWH should be a better feed source than whole crop wheat silage for ruminants.…”