Production performance and metabolic characteristics of cows fed whole plant faba bean silage in comparison with barley and corn silage

This study aims to determine the effect of partial (50% and 75%) complete (100%) replacement barley corn silage with whole plant faba bean on milk production, feed intake efficiency, digestibility, rumen fermentation characteristics high producing cows. A repeated 4 × Latin square (early lactating cows: four cannulated non-cannulated) design was used. The used for treatments were different: control diet (T0; 18.37% + 12.23% silage), one (T50; 9.18% 6.12% 15.30% two (T75; 4.59% 3.06% 22.95% three (T100; 30.60% silage). results showed that fat corrected (3.5% FCM) energy (ECM) linearly increased increasing level in diets. starch digestibility decreased from 95.3% 90.4% supplementation using silage. Rumen (pH, ammonia, volatile fatty acids) similar among all treatments. In conclusion, inclusion improved FCM, ECM, yield, efficiency without negatively affecting dry matter. can be as an alternative dairy