Three studies were conducted to evaluate the feeding value of slice alfalfa hay in feedlot diets. In Exp. 1, 108 steer calves (183.1 +/- 1.2 kg initial BW; 6 pens/treatment) were used in a completely randomized design to evaluate the effect of baling method on performance and morbidity of newly received calves. The study lasted 28 d. Treatments consisted of a 65% concentrate receiving diet cont...

Nine multiparous (250 +/- 6 d in milk) and 3 primiparous (204 +/- 6 d in milk) Holstein cows were utilized in a 3 x 3 Latin square design to evaluate the lactation performance of cows fed a diet containing dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) with either corn silage or alfalfa hay as forage. Cows were fed total mixed diets containing corn silage (CS), 50% corn silage and 50% alfalfa hay...

Alfalfa use by dairy cattle has decreased in recent years because of excessive nonprotein nitrogen and low fiber digestibility. Ideal attributes for plant modification of alfalfa may include those that increase milk potential per acre and/or per ton, enhance digestible NDF, improve protein content and amino acid balance, improve agronomic traits for insect protection (safer forage supply), herb...

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of different levels of alfalfa hay (AH) and sodium propionate (Pro) added to starter diets of Holstein calves on growth performance, rumen fermentation characteristics, and rumen development. Forty-two male Holstein calves (40±2kg of birth weight) were used in a complete randomized design with a 3×2 factorial arrangement of treatme...

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...

To evaluate the protein quality and postgut N utilization of full-bloom timothy hay, oat-supplemented timothy-hay diets, and alfalfa hay harvested at different maturities, apparent whole tract N digestibility, urinary N excretion, and serum AA profiles were determined in light to moderately exercised Arabian horses. Six Arabian geldings (16.0 ± 0.3 yr; 467 ± 11 kg of BW) were randomly allocated...

The impact was studied of buffer pH (5.8, 6.2, and 6.8) on in vitro digestion kinetics of NDF from alfalfa hay, bromegrass hay, corn silage, and alfalfa and bromegrass hays with raw corn starch added to approximate a ration containing 30% NDF. Ash-free NDF was determined at 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48, 72, and 96 h of fermentation. Kinetic parameters were estimated by nonlinear regression usin...

The objective of this study was to determine the interactions between alfalfa hay and corn grain particle sizes on nutrient intake, milk yield, milk composition, chewing activity, and ruminal pH of dairy cows. Alfalfa hay was chopped either at 4 cm (long; L) or 1 cm (short; S) theoretical length of cut. Particle size of corn grain was obtained by grinding either at 1 mm (coarse; C) or less than...

A variety of measures including Relative Feed Value (RFV), Relative Feed Quality (RFQ) and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) have been used to set the value of alfalfa hay for sale. However, components or characteristics of alfalfa in addition to these measures may prove useful in determining the real market and feeding value of alfalfa compared to other feeds.

samples of salvia leriifolia were collected from khorasan mountains in different growing stages. chemical composition, rumen degradability characteristics of dry matter (dm), crude protein (cp) and neutral detergent fiber (ndf) of salvia leriifolia whole plant (stem and leaves) in different flowering stages and plant leaves in comparison with alfalfa hay and triticale straw were measured using ...