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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #142936
Title: EFFECT OF FEEDING BROWN MIDRIB-3 CORN SILAGE OR CONVENTIONAL CORN SILAGE CUT AT EITHER 23 OR 71 CM ON MILK YIELD AND MILK COMPOSITION

Author
item DOMINGUEZ, D - UW-MADISON
item MOREIRA, V - UW-MADISON
item Satter, Larry

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective was to evaluate the effect on milk yield when brown midrib 3 corn silage (bm3) cut at 23 cm or conventional corn silage cut at either 23 or 71 cm was fed to lactating dairy cows. Thirty lactating Holstein cows averaging 113 DIM and 37.3 kg milk daily were randomly assigned to one of six treatments in a 6×6 Latin square design. Treatments were two levels of dietary NDF (low-27.6 to 29.2% and high-32.0 to 33.5%), and three corn silage sources: bm3 (bag silo), normal cut (23 cm, NC) and high cut (71 cm, HC), both ensiled in tower silos. The bm3 corn silage was Cargill 657, and NC and HC Dekalb 520 RR. The corn silage sources were chopped at 0.95 cm theoretical length of cut. Diets with low NDF had 60.5, 63.5 and 62.0% of dietary forage for NC, HC and bm3 and diets with high NDF had 77.0, 80.5 and 75.5% dietary forage. Corn silage supplied 67% of forage DM. The length of each of four experimental periods was three weeks. Statistical analysis was done as an unbalanced and incomplete 6×4 Latin square. HC corn silage had higher DM content than NC corn silage (40.9 vs 38.4%), while NDF content was decreased (33.9 and 38.6%). DMI was increased (P <0.01) for bm3 treatments (2.9 kg)compared to the NC and HC treatments. Milk yield tended to be higher for bm3 (1.1 kg) compared to the NC and HC treatments. HC and NC treatments supported the same milk yield. Similar response was observed when milk yield was corrected at 3.5% fat. Fat percentage was decreased (P <0.01) by low NDF treatments (4%). Protein, lactose and SNF percentage were not affected by treatments. However, the protein and SNF content (kg) was increased (P <0.01) in low NDF treatments. Feed efficiency was higher (P <0.01) for the low NDF treatments (9.5%), and was reduced (P <0.01) with the bm3 treatments (8.6%)