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...

Two Latin square trials, using 21 or 24 multiparous lactating Holstein cows, compared the feeding value of red clover and alfalfa silages harvested over 2 yr. Red clover silages averaged 2 percentage units lower in crude protein (CP) and more than 2 percentage units lower in neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber than did alfalfa silage. In trial 1, diets were formulated to 60% dry ma...

A series of in vitro fermentation experiments was performed to assess the effects of 4 feed enzyme products (FE) that varied in enzymatic activities on the degradation of alfalfa hay and corn silage. The FE contained a range of endoglucanase, exoglucanase, xylanase, and protease activities, and a range of dose rates (DR) was used. The objective of the study was to identify effective formulation...

In a 162-day finishing study, steers were fed various levels of dried distillers grains with solubles (DGS) with ground ear corn harvested at 45% moisture, and compared with steers fed 25% DGS, rolled corn, and corn silage. Steers fed the highest level of DGS (37.5% of diet DM) with ground high-moisture ear corn had the lowest ADG and DMI, but F:G tended to be improved by feeding 25% and 37.5% ...

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of length of chop of corn silage and forage:concentrate ratio (F:C) on performance and milk fatty acid profiles in dairy cows supplemented with flaxseed. Our hypothesis was that decreasing forage particle length and F:C ratio would increase unsaturated fatty acid flow to the small intestine and subsequent transfer of these unsaturated fatty acids into mi...

Silage is a common way of storing and feeding forage in the United States. There are 4 phases (aerobic, anaerobic, stable, and feedout) that silage undergoes. The most critical phases to manage to minimize nutritive losses are when the silage is going from an aerobic to an anaerobic environment and at feedout. The first important step in achieving silage of high nutritive value is to harvest at...

vitro digestibility tended to be greater with ammoniation. In the second trial, very high levels of ammonia, urea or glucose were added. Levels of insoluble protein were much higher in this trial than the other. This reflects the high variability of corn silage. Recovery of nitrogen added as ammonia averaged 82 percent while all of the nitrogen added as urea was recovered. The amounts of insolu...

Starch, supplied in Midwest diets primarily from high-moisture and dry corn grain and whole-plant corn silage, is an important source of energy for dairy cattle. However, the digestibility of corn starch can be highly variable. Various factors, particle size (fine vs. coarse grind), grain processing (steam flaked vs. dry rolled), storage method (dry vs. high-moisture corn), moisture content of ...

An experiment with growing lambs was designed to test the hypothesis that alterations in blood acid-base status would influence intake of corn silage. Six wethers (29 kg) were fed a diet of corn silage (36% DM, 8% CP) supplemented with 1.25% urea and .2% sulfur. At feeding time, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and sodium sesquicarbonate (NaSC) were added to the silage at levels of 0, 2% or 4% of di...