BACKGROUND Literature is lacking on the effects of feeding by-product feed (BF)-based silage on rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestion and nitrogen (N) retention in sheep. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of replacing rye straw with BF-based silage as a roughage source on ruminal parameters, total-tract apparent nutrient digestibility, and N balance in shee...

Wisconsin dairy farmers produce more corn (Zea mays L.) silage than any other state in the U.S. A University of Wisconsin corn silage research consortium evaluated corn hybrids and found that the range for NDF and digestibility among commercial hybrids is narrow, but more importantly, yield and quality differences among corn hybrids were repeatable (Coors, 1996). In 1995, an extension program w...

A trial involving a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments was conducted to evaluate two corn silage hybrids (Agromen, AGN35-A42) and (Bayer, A3663) and concentrate levels (25 and 50%) on animal performance. Twenty-four Holstein x Zebu crossbred steers, averaging 335±30kg of BW, were distributed in six randomized blocks to evaluate intake, digestibility, and performance. Treatments consisted o...

This study estimated the fermentation characteristics and nutrient value of corn-lablab bean mixture silages relative to corn silages. The effects of feeding corn-lablab bean mixture silages on nutrient apparent digestibility and milk production of dairy cows in northern China were also investigated. Three ruminally cannulated Holstein cows were used to determine the ruminal digestion kinetics ...

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of EM on the consumption, nutritive value and digestibility of corn forage (Zea mays L.) processed into corn silage after harvesting at two growth stages. Stage 1 silage contained 25 percent dry matter and stage 2 silage, harvested nine days later, contained 37 percent dry matter. The first experiment involved feeding trials with sheep and ...