The nutrient contents of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) are reasonably similar. Despite similarities, the lactation performance of dairy cows fed perennial ryegrass has not been compared with the lactation performance of dairy cows fed alfalfa. The present study was implemented to compare the performance of lactating cows fed alfalfa or perennial ryegras...

On 3 consecutive cuttings, alfalfa from a single field was mowed with a John Deere 946 mower-conditioner (4-m cut width; Moline, IL) to leave narrow swaths (NS) ranging from 1.2 to 1.52 m wide (30-37% of cutter bar width) and wide swaths (WS) ranging from 2.44 to 2.74 m wide (62-67% of cutter bar width). Samples were collected from windrows and dry matter (DM) was monitored during wilting until...

Our objective was to determine the cradle-to-farmgate carbon footprint of fat-and-protein corrected milk (FPCM) for four diets fed two breeds using measured enteric methane and greenhouse gas emissions during manure storage after field application. The were formulated as 2 × factorial with forage neutral detergent fiber at levels (19 24% diet dry matter referred low high diets, respectively) fr...

The esterification of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (HMB) to isopropanol (HMBi) decreases the rate and extent of its ruminal breakdown. The modes of action of HMB and HMBi appear to be different. The quantification of the production response to HMBi has not been done. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the lactation response to HMB, (2) to determine the lactation respon...

Limousin-cross steers (n=135; 258+/-26 kg) were used to compare forage vs grain feeding on carcass composition and palatability attributes of beef when time on feed was controlled. Diets included a 95% alfalfa silage ration (AS) or a 68% high-moisture corn, 25% alfalfa silage ration (HMC). These were incorporated into six treatments to allow comparisons of end points based on similar days on fe...

The effect of alfalfa ensiled in bunker silos at high moisture [HM, 34% dry matter (DM)] and low moisture (LM, 56% DM) content on milk production and Grana Padano cheese quality was studied. Forty Italian Friesian lactating cows were allotted to two groups and fed, in a crossover design experiment, two corn silage-based diets containing 27% of the total DM as HM or LM. Each of the two periods i...

Lutein is being considered as a nutrient for prevention of macular degeneration in the aging population. Two experiments were designed to study the transfer efficiency of lutein from the layers' diet into the egg. In experiment 1, laying hens were fed corn-soy diets supplemented with 0, 125, 250, 375, 500, 625, 750, or 1000 ppm of lutein. After 30 d, eggs were collected and assayed for lutein. ...

Sixteen multiparous Holstein cows averaging 74 d in milk were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square to compare the effects on animal performance of feeding whole plant silage and grain from a glyphosate-tolerant corn hybrid (event NK603), a nontransgenic control hybrid, and two commercial nontransgenic hybrids (DK647 and RX740). The grain and silage from the four corn hybrids were produced us...

Eighteen multiparous early lactation Holstein cows were assigned to a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square with 28-d periods to evaluate milk protein production potential when corn silage (CS) or small grain silage (SGS) was added to diets based on alfalfa silage (AS). Treatments consisted of all AS, a mixture of AS and CS, or a mixture of AS and SGS. Treatment diets were isonitrogenous, isofibrous, a...

Starch particle size characteristics of 81 diverse corn silage samples, which included 27 combinations of hybrid, planting dates, and harvest dates subjected to 3 different degrees of kernel processing, were determined via vertical shaking through 9 screens with nominal square apertures of 19.0, 13.2, 9.5, 6.7, 4.75, 3.35, 2.36, 1.18, and 0.6 mm and a pan. Starch content of dry matter remaining...