OBJECTIVE The impact of forage feeding strategy on growth performance, ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility in post-weaning calves was investigated. METHODS Forty-five female Holstein calves (body weight [BW] = 79.79±0.38 kg) were enrolled in the 35-d study at one week after weaning and randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments. All diets were fed as total mixed ration c...

Alfalfa hay is a major crop supporting U.S ruminant livestock industry, particularly dairy. Several cellulosic feedstocks will be needed to meet current ethanol production goals. Alfalfa has considerable potential as a feedstock for production of ethanol and other industrial materials because of its high biomass production, perennial nature, ability to provide its own nitrogen fertilizer, and v...

Attaining high-quality alfalfa hay is a critical aspect of profitability for alfalfa and animal productivity. Attributes of quality include energy, voluntary intake, CP, fiber and minerals. Forage quality has many attributes and should be evaluated through laboratory measurements and subjective observations such as odor mold and weed content. Measurements of plant cell wall (NDF), as well as AD...

a number of 36 holstein young bulls (initial bw of 345±61 kg) were randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatments, following a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement, with three concentrate levels of fish oil (0, 1.5 and 3 % of dm) and 2 levels of alfalfa hay versus corn silage (10 and 20 % of alfalfa hay forage versus 20 and 10 % of corn silage) were used to investigate the effect of fish oil supplementation ...

Two experiments determined effects of collection and preparation techniques on nutrient composition of masticate samples from esophageally fistulated cattle. In Exp. 1, 12 esophageally fistulated cattle were maintained on 2 precollection diets, high CP (24% CP; = 6) or low CP (7.7% CP; = 6), for 8 d. On d 9, the esophageal plug was removed, screen bottom bags were attached, and each cow was off...

abstract in this study 36 holstein bulls (initial bw of 345±61 kg) were randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatments, following a 3×2 factorial arrangement, with 3 concentrate level of fish oil (0, 1 and 2.1% of dm) and 2 levels of alfalfa hay versus corn silage (10 and 20 % of alfalfa hay forage) to investigate the effects of fish oil supplementation and ratio of alfalfa hay and corn silage in di...

Since high quality forage is essential in a dairy ration, it is improtant to study new methods of preserving hay. In this trial, the effect of a commercial organic acid preservative on nutirent content and feeding value of alfalfa hay was evaluated. Alfalfa hay from a common field was baled at about 20 percent moisture for a control, and at about 28 percent moisture with addition of 0.1 percent...

the aim of this paper was to study of the effect of fenugreek seed (trigonella foenum-graecum) and asparagus root (asparagus officinalis) on in vitro digestibility and kinetics of gas production of alfalfa hay. fenugreek seed (fs) and asparagus root (ar) were added at different levels (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% of dm). total phenolic components of alfalfa hay (ah), fenugreek seed (fs) and asparagus ...

Eliminating toxins from the hay begins in the field. However, toxic weeds frequently end up in hay and forage and pose a serious risk to livestock. The effects of poisonous plants on animals depend on the amount ingested and the individual weed present in hay. Many indications for poisoning exist. Obvious cases involve sudden onset of disease in a number of animals. Finding of common feed or en...

Twelve early lactation Holstein cows (4 fistulated) were used in replicated 4x4 Latin squares with 4-wk periods to determine the effective neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of wet corn gluten feed and to measure the effect of forage particle size on ruminal mat consistency and passage rate of wet corn gluten feed. Diets were 1) 23.3% NDF (17.4 percentage units of NDF from alfalfa silage), 2...