Comparison of a Corn Silage Hybrid with High Cell-Wall Content and Digestibility with a Hybrid of Lower Cell-Wall Content on Performance of Holstein Cows

Abstract

We hypothesized that substituting a corn hybrid with high cell-wall content and high neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility (HCW) for a hybrid with lower cellwall content and lower NDF digestibility (LCW) would improve feed intake and milk production in lactating Holstein cows. There was a 3.6 percentage unit difference in NDF content and a 4.1 percentage unit difference in 30-h in vitro NDF digestion between the 2 corn hybrids. In trial 1, 40 cows (12 primiparous) ranging in milk production from 24.1 to 44.0 kg/d, following a 2-wk preliminary period, were used in a crossover design with 2-wk periods. Diets consisted of 45% corn silage (HCW or LCW), 10% alfalfa hay, and 45% concentrates. The DMI (25.4 vs. 24.2 kg/d) and 4% FCM yield (34.3 vs. 31.7 kg/d) were higher for cows fed the HCW diet compared with the LCW diet. When HCW was substituted for LCW on a DM basis, there was no relationship between pretrial milk yield (preliminary period) and subsequent response to HCW silage. In trial 2, 40 cows (8 primiparous) ranging in milk production from 20.6 to 49.0 kg/d, following a 2-wk preliminary period, were used in a crossover design with 2-wk periods. Diets consisted of the same LCW diet as trial 1 and a diet containing HCW at a concentration (40% of DM) that resulted in equal NDF content (30.8%) between the 2 diets (HCWN). The DMI (26.8 kg/d) was unaffected by diet, although there was a trend for greater DMI (% of BW) for cows fed the HCWN diet compared with LCW silage (4.24 vs. 4.12). Milk fat (3.91 vs. 3.79%) and 4% FCM yield (34.9 vs. 33.4 kg/d) were greater for cows fed HCWN vs. LCW diet. When HCW was substituted for LCW silage on an NDF basis, cows with greater 244milk production during the preliminary period had a greater milk response to HCW than lower-producing cows. Results of these trials supported our hypothesis that HCW corn silage results in greater DMI and milk yield than LCW silage, whether substitution occurs on a DM or NDF basis. (Key words: corn silage, fiber digestibility, milk yield) Abbreviation key: HCW = high cell-wall content and digestibility corn silage, HCWN = diet that contains the HCW corn silage substituted on an NDF basis, IVNDFD = in vitro NDF digestibility, IVSD = in vitro starch digestibility, LCW = lower cell-wall content and digestibility corn silage, MEO = milk net energy output, PM = pretrial milk yield, PMEO = pretrial milk net energy output.

Variation for in vivo digestibility in two maize hybrid silages

“…Ivan et al (2005) showed that feeding silage from maize hybrids with a high cell wall content and high aNDFD resulted in higher DMI and milk yield compared to feeding a hybrid with a lower cell wall content and low aNDFD. Similarly, Boon et al (2012) analyzed changes during the growing season in the anatomy, chemical composition, and fermentation characteristics of maize stem from a lower internode (internode 7) of two forage maize cultivars differing in whole plant digestibility.…”

Short Communication: Effects of feeding Falcon or Tyto whole plant barley silage on milk production and feed efficiency

“…The positive effects of enhanced IVFD on productivity of lactating dairy cows have been reported for corn silage (Thomas et al 2001;Neylon and Kung, Jr. 2003;Ivan et al 2005), sorghum silage (Grant et al 1995;Aydin et al 1999;Oliver et al 2004), and alfalfa silage (Dado and Allen 1996). Whole-plant barley silage (WPBS) is the primary forage used by dairy producers in western Canada, but little is known about factors affecting IVFD and its effects on animal performance.…”

Rumen degradation and passage kinetics of silage made from different corn hybrids

“…Moreover, it is increasingly important to develop corn hybrids of higher rumen DM digestibility (Ivan et al, 2005). A NDF of higher digestibility is recommended, aiming at increased DM intake, and consequent increase in nutrient intake (Mertens, 1987).…”