Effects of a Brown‐midrib corn hybrid on nutrient digestibility in wethers and on dry matter intake, performance, rumen and blood variables in dairy cows

Abstract

The aim of the present trials was to determine the effect of an experimental Brown-midrib (Bm) corn hybrid in relation to a commercial corn hybrid (Con) on digestibility in wethers and on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield and milk composition in dairy cows. Digestibility of crude fibre (CF), neutral detergent fibre (NDFom) and acid detergent fibre (ADFom) were higher for Bm (CF Con: 57.8%; Bm: 67.2%; NDFom Con: 56.8%; Bm: 64.8%; ADFom Con: 52.0%; Bm: 63.9%), but concentration of net energy for lactation did not differ (Con: 6.4 MJ/kg DM; Bm: 6.3 MJ/kg DM). A total of 64 lactating German Holstein cows were assigned to one of the two dietary treatments Con or Bm according to milk yield, lactation number, days in milk and live weight. In Trial 1, cows were fed a total mixed ration consisting of 50% corn silage (Con or Bm) and 50% concentrate on dry matter (DM) basis. In Trial 2, the same animals were fed the respective silage for ad libitum intake and 5.3 kg of concentrate DM per animal per day. In Trial 1, DMI and milk-fat content were decreased significantly for the Bm-treatment (DMI Con: 22.5 kg/day; Bm: 21.5 kg/day; milk fat Con: 3.8%; Bm: 3.3%). In Trial 2, milk yield and fat-corrected milk (FCM) were increased significantly, whereas milk-fat% was decreased significantly (milk yield Con: 25.8 kg/day; Bm: 29.4 kg/day; FCM Con: 27.2 kg/day; Bm: 29.6 kg/day; fat Con: 4.4%; Bm: 4.0%). Diets did not influence ruminal pH or temperature. Diets, furthermore, did not influence rumination in either trial. Additional research on digestibility and rumen fermentation should, however, be carried out using dairy cows at respective intake levels as trials with wethers cannot be transferred to high-yielding ad libitum fed cows.

Lactational response of early-lactation Holstein cows fed starch or floury corn silage

“…The molar concentration of isovalerate was greater (P < 0.05) for cows fed the STA ration compared with the cows fed LF 2 diet, with cows fed the LF 1 ration being similar (P > 0.10) and intermediate. Oba and Allen (2000), Taylor and Allen (2005), and Gorniak et al (2014) reported reduced mean ruminal pH when feeding BMR corn silage compared with conventional corn silage, which would be related to enhanced BMR corn silage nutrient digestibility. in their meta-analysis reported that several different corn silage hybrids resulted in similar concentrations of ruminal ammonia, total VFA, and individual VFA concentrations.…”

Nutritional value and fermentative characteristics of pearl millet silage with different levels of coffee husk

“…Thus, the inclusion of higher amounts of coffee husks, despite increasing the DM of preserved fodder, reduces the quality of the final product (Figure 1). The greater participation of structural carbohydrates associated with lignin decreases cell wall degradation rates (FARIA et al, 2020;KARLS et al, 2022;ALI et al, 2022), in addition to changing forage consumption by animals (GORNIAK et al, 2013).…”