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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #343398
Research Project: Improving Nutrient Use Efficiency and Mitigating Nutrient and Pathogen Losses from Dairy Production Systems

Location: Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research

Title: Effect of delayed wrapping and wrapping source on nitrogen balance and blood urea nitrogen in gestating sheep offered alfalfa silage

Author
item NIYIGENA, V. - University Of Arkansas
item COFFEY, K. - University Of Arkansas
item Coblentz, Wayne
item PHILIPP, D. - University Of Arkansas
item YOUNG, A. - University Of Arkansas
item RHEIN, R. - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/14/2017
Publication Date: 8/1/2017
Citation: Niyigena, V., Coffey, K.P., Coblentz, W.K., Philipp, D., Young, A.N., Rhein, R.T. 2017. Effect of delayed wrapping and wrapping source on nitrogen balance and blood urea nitrogen in gestating sheep offered alfalfa silage. Journal of Dairy Science. J. Anim. Sci. 95 (suppl. 4): 54.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Exposing ensiled forage to oxygen can result in DM deterioration and reduce silage intake by animals. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of 2 different wrapping sources and time intervals between baling and wrapping on N balance and blood urea N in gestating sheep offered alfalfa silage. Alfalfa forage was baled in large round bales and then wrapped in stretch plastic film with (KURA) or without an oxygen-limiting barrier embedded in the plastic wrap. Bales were wrapped on the day of baling or after a 1-, 2-, or 3-d delay. Beginning in January 2016, silages were chopped and packed into plastic-lined trash containers and then offered randomly for ad libitum intake to 16 gestating ewes (63.5 ± 1.71 kg BW) to provide 2 observations per treatment for 3 experimental periods. Each period consisted of a 10-d dietary adaptation period followed by 7 d of total fecal and urine collection. Blood samples were harvested the last day of each period immediately prior to feeding and 4 and 8 h after feeding. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS for a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement of treatments, and blood data were treated as repeated measures. No interactions were detected (P = 0.05) between wrap type and time delay after baling for N balance and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Retained N (% of N intake and % of absorbed N) was greater (P < 0.05) from silage wrapped with KURA. Nitrogen absorption (%) and N apparently absorbed (g/d) linearly decreased (P < 0.05) as wrapping was delayed after baling. Total N intake (g/d and g/kg BW), urinary N (g/d), and N retained (g/d and g/kg BW) were not affected (P = 0.05) by wrap type and time delay between baling and wrapping. Concentrations of BUN (mg/dL) were quadratically affected (P < 0.05) by delay between baling and wrapping and were greater (P < 0.05) 4 h after feeding than immediately prior to feeding. In general, wrap type and time delay after baling affected N utilization, but N intake and N excreted in urine were not affected by wrap type and time delay after baling. Therefore, delaying wrapping alfalfa silage bales after baling may have negative effects on forage protein utilization by animals. The study was supported in part by USDA-ARS specific cooperative agreement 58-3655-4-052.