Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #99990
Title: EFFECT OF FEEDING CORN HYBRIDS SELECTED FOR LEAFINESS OR GRAIN TO LACTATING DAIRY CATTLE

Author
item KUEHN, CARLA - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item LINN, JAMES - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item JOHNSON, DENNIS - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item Jung, Hans Joachim
item ENDRES, MARCIA - MYCOGEN SEEDS

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Corn silage is one of the most important feedstuffs used for the feeding of dairy cows throughout the U.S. Farmers must choose among many commercial corn hybrids in deciding which hybrid to plant for silage production. In recent years corn seed companies have marketed corn hybrids with different characteristics such as increased leaves, softer grain kernels, etc., as being better for the production of corn silage and improved milk production. Unfortunately, there is little research data available testing the impact of these different types of corn hybrids on milk production by dairy cows that farmers can use to make wise choices among the competing commercial claims. We compared performance of dairy cows fed a high grain yielding corn hybrid vs. a more leafy corn hybrid and found no differences in milk production or milk composition when these corn silages were included in a typical midwestern dairy diet. A final answer as to whether corn hybrid type (high grain vs. leafiness) impacts milk production by dairy cows will not be available until several more experiments are conducted to test this question because it is known that corn hybrid performance varies with changing growing conditions. However, we can advise farmers based on our preliminary results to question commercial claims of improved milk production from the feeding of different types of corn silage, especially if the seed costs of these corn hybrids are different.

Technical Abstract: Sixty-two Holstein cows (39 primiparous (P) and 23 multiparous (M)) were used to compare the effects of diets that contained one of three corn silage hybrids: leafy (L), high grain (G), and generic blend (B). Cows were assigned to a treatment diet 3 d after parturition and remained on the diet until wk 22 of lactation. Diets contained (DM basis) 40.6% corn silage, 10.2% alfalfa haylage, 23.5% corn grain, 7.4% whole-fuzzy cottonseed, 13.8% protein concentrate, and 4.5% vitamin and mineral mix. Dry matter intake, milk yield, and milk components did not differ for cows fed diet G, L, or B for either parity group. Digestibilities of DM, OM, NDF, ADF, CP, and ether extract and rate of passage did not differ for the G, L, or B diets for either parity. Multiparous cows receiving diet B lost more weight (P<0.05) throughout the 22-wk study than cows on L or B. Primiparous cows receiving diet B spent more (P<0.05) time eating than cows son either G or L. Time spent chewing did not differ among hybrids. Corn hybrid in the diet as silage did not have a major impact on dairy cattle performance in this trial. Although cows on the B corn silage diet did perform similarly to those on diet G or L, its use in high producing dairy cattle is not advocated as this product may vary from year to year.