The two greatest silage problems are shrinkage (dry matter losses) and heating (aerobic spoilage). Therefore, one of the main aims of silage making is to reduce losses of dry matter during the preservation process. Dry matter losses occur during the three main stages of silage preservation namely the aerobic respiration stage after cutting, the anaerobic fermentation stage after sealing, and th...

In this experiment, we evaluated the influence of increasing chop length and mechanical processing of whole-plant brown-midrib corn silage on intake, digestion, and milk production by dairy cows. Corn silage treatments were harvested at three-quarter milk line stage of maturity at 13- and 19-mm theoretical chop length without processing, or at 19- and 32-mm theoretical chop length with processi...

Two experiments were carried out to determine the nutritive value and to evaluate the performance of growing rabbits fed on isoenergetic diets containing high moisture sorghum silage grain with low or high tannin levels. In the digestibility assay (experiment 1), the nutritive values of silages were determined with 30 New Zealand White rabbits, 15 males and 15 females, 55 days old, allotted in ...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bacterial inoculation on the fermentation and aerobic stability of corn silage and on the dry matter degradability and milk composition when fed to sheep or cows. Four male sheep were selected to measure dry matter degradability of uninoculated (UCS) and inoculated (ICS) corn silage. Milk composition was measured for 22 Holstein cows, separ...

Corn hybrids for silage vary in yield and several quality traits that affect farm profitability, which is the prime criterion on which hybrids should be ranked. The partial budget approach is the only way to rank corn hybrids for silage for individual farms according to their effects on farm profits. Partial budgets consider only those costs and returns that change in response to the corn hybri...

The objective of this study was to determine if the length of chop of processed corn silage influences the impact of supplemental fat on rumen fermentation and performance of dairy cows. We hypothesized that increasing forage particle length may alleviate the interference of fat on rumen fermentation. Sixteen Holstein cows averaging 120 d in milk were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square des...

Rumen characteristics and digestive kinetics of brown midrib corn silage were evaluated with five late-lactation (221 DIM +/- 20 d) multiparous cows fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannula. Dietary treatments were applied by using a single reversal design with two 21-d periods where either brown midrib (BM3) or isogenic (ISO) corn silage were included in a total mixed ration formulated to be 4...

the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bacterial inoculation on the fermentation and aerobic stability of corn silage and on the dry matter degradability and milk composition when fed to sheep or cows. four male sheep were selected to measure dry matter degradability of uninoculated (ucs) and inoculated (ics) corn silage. milk composition was measured for 22 holstein cows, separ...