The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of dry matter (DM) content and three different storage systems on the quality of alfalfa ensiled on commercial farms. Alfalfa silage samples were collected from 21 bunker silos, 20 silos that limited oxygen infiltration, and 19 tower silos on 43 commercial dairy farms. Storage system and DM content were confounded because silages from bu...

—Body mass – gut fill scaling relationships affect rate of digestion, foraging behavior, niche differentiation, and trophic interactions. On an intraspecific level, the scalar of this relationship has been reported to be both isoand allometric (,1.0). We hypothesized the scalar of rumen-reticulum fill depends on diet. When the diet has low concentrations of indigestible fiber the scalar should ...

Renewed interest exists in using grass forages to dilute the higher crude protein (CP) and lower digestible fiber present in legumes fed to lactating dairy cows. A 3 x 3 Latin square feeding study with 4-wk periods was conducted with 24 Holstein cows to compare ryegrass silage, either untreated control or macerated (intensively conditioned) before ensiling, with alfalfa silage as the sole dieta...

We used chemical composition and in vitro digestibility data from temperate and tropical forages to develop relationships between indices of lignification and forage indigestible NDF. Neutral detergent fiber indigestibility increased nonlinearly as the lignin concentration of the NDF increased. Differences in estimated indigestible NDF using equations developed for a specific forage class (C3 a...

one of the most effective ways to reach yield stability with low input is increasing diversity through utilizing intercrops in agro-ecosystems. a field experiment based on a randomized complete block design with six treatments and three replications and two crops, green pea and nutrifed millet, was carried out at research farm of agriculture and natural resources of kerman during growing season...

When hay is first baled stored, it may go through a “sweat”, an increase in bale temperature. This increase in bale temperature is a combination of plant, bacteria, yeast, and fungi respiration. Plant soluble carbohydrates, principally sugars, are the source of energy for this respiration and increase in heat. As hay storage time increases, the hay loses Dry Matter (DM), and increases in Neutra...

The chemical composition, in situ  rumen degradability coefficients of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP), in vitro gas production and in vivo  digestibility were evaluated for olive cake (OC) silage treated (DM basis) with different additives as follows: (1) untreated OC; (2) OC, 8% molasses and 0.4% formic acid and (3) OC, 8% molasses, 0.4% formic acid and 0.5% urea. After addition of the...

Alfalfa, red clover, orchardgrass and timothy were harvested in the vegetative stage, wilted and stored as hay, or ensiled in small batch silos (20 kg) at 60, 40 or 20% (direct cut) dry matter and were analyzed for compositional differences. A ruminally cannulated lactating cow, consuming 50% of her dry matter intake from hay crop silage, was used to measure in situ dry matter, N, neutral deter...

The effects of different additives, including lactic acid bacteria inoculants, acremonium cellulase and mixtures of lactic acid bacteria inoculants and acremonium cellulase on changes of nutritive components and in vitro digestibility of Ceratoides arborescens during ensiling were investigated. The silages of each treatment were prepared in plastic film bags, kept in an incubator at 30°C and ba...

The scope for using sunflower cake in ration formulation was tested in 6 horses employed for equine tourism. Three experimental diets providing the same amount of proteins and energy as the control diet were formulated using rising doses of sunflower cake (SD3: 0.3 kg; SD6: 0.6 kg and SD10: 1.0 kg). Digestibility evaluation using internal markers showed that rising sunflower cake doses reduced ...