Ruminal degradability, feeding behavior and production performance in dairy cows fed ear corn silage

Effects of ear corn silage supplementation on milk production and milk fatty acid profiles in grazing dairy farms

“…Milk composition parameters including milk fat, milk protein, lactose, and solids not fat content also changed with seasonal progress (p < .01) but did not differ between the ECS and non-ECS farms. In a study comparing the supply of ECS and flaked dry corn for lactating cows fed silage-based diets (Tada et al, 2018;Ueda et al, 2014), there was no difference in milk yield or milk composition.…”

“…The field survey was conducted on five grazing dairy farms (Farm A, B, C, D, and E) in Tokachi, Hokkaido during 2017, 2018, and 2019 These farms belong to a producer group that regulates the use of non-transgenic feed and conduct grazing practices during the grazing season. The grazing season survey was conducted every month from July (end of June in 2019) to October of each year (except for September of 2018), and the indoor feeding survey was conducted in December of each year.…”

“…Three of the five farms started to substitute ECS feeding for commercial formula feed feeding after an initial survey in July of each year (ECS farms: Farms A and B in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and Farm C only in 2018and 2019. Other farms maintained the feeding management system same as before the start of study (Non-ECS farms: Farms D and E in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and Farm C only in 2017.…”

“…Three of the five farms started to substitute ECS feeding for commercial formula feed feeding after an initial survey in July of each year (ECS farms: Farms A and B in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and Farm C only in 2018and 2019. Other farms maintained the feeding management system same as before the start of study (Non-ECS farms: Farms D and E in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and Farm C only in 2017. The substitution ratio of commercial formula feed to ECS for ECS farms was 1 kg to 2 kg, weighed fresh (about 1 kg:1.2 kg in DM basis), with the moisture and total digestible nutrients (TDN) content of each feed taken into consideration.…”

“…Among these type of feed, the production of ear corn silage (ECS) has been growing in prevalence within TMR centers and contractor organizations in Hokkaido, since ECS has high nutritive value and fermentation qualities (Oshita, Nemoto, Aoki, Ueda, & Aoki, 2016; Otsu et al., 2012). Milk production from cows fed with ECS supplement in silage‐based feeding was equal to that from cows fed with a flaked dry corn supplement (Aoki, Oshita, Ueda, Nemoto, & Aoki, 2016; Tada, Aoki, & Oshita, 2018; Ueda et al., 2014).…”