Effect of wheat forage maturity and preservation method on forage chemical composition and performance of growing calves fed mixed diets12

Abstract

Three 2.4-ha wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields were used to test the effects of maturity at harvest (boot vs. dough) and preservation method (hay vs. silage) on forage yield, chemical composition, and animal performance when fed in mixed diets. Forages were incorporated into 4 diets in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with hominy feed, soybean hulls, and cottonseed meal as the primary concentrate ingredients. In Exp. 1 diets contained 20% wheat forage (DM basis) and were fed to 96 beef calves (n = 48 steers and 48 heifers; initial BW 229 +/- 6.0 kg) in 12 mixed-sex pens. In Exp. 2 diets contained 40% wheat forage (DM basis) and were fed to beef steers (n = 48; initial BW 198 +/- 6.8 kg) in 12 pens. These diets were also individually fed to 32 calves (Exp. 1, n = 16, BW = 187 +/- 9.4 kg; Exp. 2, n = 16 calves, BW = 160 +/- 8.2 kg) to determine DM and NDF digestibility and gastrointestinal tract passage kinetics. Advanced maturity increased (P < 0.01) DM yield, decreased (P < 0.01) CP concentrations, and tended (P = 0.10) to increase nonfiber carbohydrate concentrations, but did not affect (P >or= 0.22) NDF, ADF, or TDN concentrations. Maturity at harvest, preservation method, or their interaction did not affect (P >or= 0.15) ADG when wheat forage was fed as 20 or 40% of the diet. When calves were fed the 40% wheat forage diets, maturity at harvest did not affect (P >or= 0.27) DMI or G:F. Calves fed 40% hay diets consumed more (P = 0.04) feed DM as a percentage of BW than calves fed silage diets, but tended (P = 0.09) to be less efficient. With 20 or 40% wheat forage diets, there were no differences (P >or= 0.13) in passage rate, ruminal retention time, or fecal output due to maturity or preservation method. Digestibility of DM tended (P = 0.07) to be greater for silage than hay diets when fed in 20% wheat forage diets. Dry matter and NDF digestibility of 40% boot-stage wheat forage diets were greater (P < 0.01) than diets containing forage harvested in dough stage. Forty percent hay diets also tended (P = 0.07) to have greater DM digestibility, and NDF digestibility was greater (P < 0.01) compared with silage diets. Although differences in performance were not noted in the present experiments, increased maturity at harvest and preservation as silage can cause differences in DMI and digestibility of DM and NDF in diets containing 40% wheat forage.

Esmer ve Siyah Alaca Sağmal İnekler ile Düvelerde İki Farklı Yemleme Programının Karşılaştırılması

“…Similarly, Ettala et al (1990) reported higher daily growth rate of dairy heifers on silage group compared to those on hay group. On the contrary of the findings of the studies, Dennis et al (2012) observed higher average daily gain (9.8 %) in favor of young females fed dry hay compared to heifers consumed silage, while Beck et al (2009) reported insignificant difference regarding weight gains between heifers fed silage or hay rations. However, the effect of the breeds of heifers did not result in significant difference in terms of total weight gain (Table 4).…”

“…Heifers in the HCS program had heavier body weights than those in the HDH program in the second half of the feeding period, but the difference of the body weights at various stages of the growth was not statistically significant (Figure 1). Similarly, Beck et al (2009) reported that heifers reared on silage program had nearly the same body weights as those reared on dry hay group.…”

“…Findings of a study (Beck et al 2009) investigating effect of the feeding silage or dry hay on the weight gain of the heifers suggested that the young animals grew at similar rates. However, Ettala and Virtanen (1990) and Klosowski et al (1992) observed that weight gain of heifers fed silage-based diets was higher than that of animals consumed dry hay-based rations.…”

Silagem pré-secada de cereais de inverno em estádio de pré-florescimento: Revisão

“…Ao passo que a planta avança em estádios de maturação a produção de matéria seca tende a aumentar (David et al, 2010, Beck et al, 2009; porém, ocorre redução nos teores de proteína bruta (Fontaneli et al, 2009 de pré-florescimento quanto no estádio de grão farináceo, porém, cada qual com suas peculiaridades estruturais e químicas. O estádio de pré-florescimento é caracterizado pela elevada concentração de proteína bruta, baixo teor de matéria seca e fibra de alta digestibilidade (Filya, 2003).…”

Conservation characteristics and protein fractions of cereal silages ensiled with additives at the booting and dough stages of maturity

“…However, the benefits of higher nutritive value and earlier harvest date at the booting stage are offset by lower dry matter (DM) production compared to harvesting at the dough stage (1)(2)(3). Maturity differences among species also have a great impact on their nutritive value (1).…”