Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Perennial Ryegrasses Bred For Contrasting Sugar Contents: Manipulating Fermentation And Aerobic Stability Of Wilted Silage Using Additives (3) (Eu-Project ‘Sweetgrass’), H. Howard, P. O'Kiely, G. Pahlow, F. P. O'Mara

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Rapid field-drying of grass prior to successful ensilage restricts fermentation and can assist preservation, but can consequently result in silages that are prone to aerobic deterioration at feedout. Additives that directly (e.g. potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate) or indirectly (e.g. formic acid or Lactobacillus plantarum, via manipulation of fermentation) alter yeast activity at feedout could modify silage aerobic stability. This experiment evaluated the fermentation and aerobic stability of wilted silages made from perennial ryegrass cultivars of high or normal water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) genotype that differed in additive use.

Perennial Ryegrasses Bred For Contrasting Sugar Contents: Manipulating Fermentation And Aerobic Stability Of Unwilted Silage Using Additives (2) (Eu-Project ‘Sweetgrass’), H. Howard, P. O'Kiely, G. Pahlow, F. P. O'Mara

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Grass cultivars bred for elevated concentrations of water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) could have improved silage preservation but possibly disimproved aerobic stability. Additives can be used to manipulate fermentation and thereby increase silage WSC. They can also influence aerobic stability. This experiment evaluated the fermentation and aerobic stability of unwilted silages made from perennial ryegrass cultivars of high or normal WSC genotype that differed in additive use.

The Effect Of Additive Containing Formic Acid On Quality And Aerobic Stability Of Silages Made Of Endophyte-Infected Green Forage, L. Podkówka, J. Mikołajczak, E. Staszak, P. Dorszewski

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Festuca species grasses are very often infected with endophytic fungi Neothypodium, that produce ergotic alkaloids, peramins etc. (Podkówka et al., 2003). Produced green forage can be dangerous to animals. The basic preservation method of such green forages is ensiling, especially with organic acids addition. Organic acids demonstrate destructive action on fungal organisms, as well as influence the quality and aerobic stability of forage. The objective of this study was to determine if the preservation of endophyte-infected green forage by ensiling with formic acid affects quality and aerobic stability of produced fodder.

Effect Of Residual Sugar In High Sugar Grass Silages On Aerobic Stability, G. Pahlow, R. J. Merry, P. O'Kiely, T. M. Pauly, J. M. Greef

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

New varieties of Lolium perenne, bred for high sugar content, can contain up to 30% of water soluble carbohydrates (WSC). Only a fraction of such high contents are metabolised during a normal fermentation and the high residual sugar content (RSC) of these silages can improve the efficiency of use of nitrogen by ruminants. However, these RSC at opening for feed-out could be preferentially metabolised relative to fermentation products by all aerobically growing fungi and bacteria present on the forage. A high RSC thus can increase the risk of aerobic deterioration over that of extensively fermented silages, containing predominantly organic …

Recent Developments In Methods To Characterise The Chemical And Biological Parameters Of Grass Silage, R. S. Park, R. E. Agnew, M. G. Porter

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Key points

1. Chemical analysis of forages is expensive, time consuming, environmentally unfriendly and relates poorly to the feed value for production purposes.
2. In vivo characterisation of animal feed is not a feasible option in terms of cost and analysis time.
3. NIRS is a rapid, non destructive, environmentally friendly, multi-analytical technique which can estimate the nutritive value of the feed.
4. NIRS predictive equations developed on a master instrument can be transferred to local and international sites.
5. Future assessment of forages necessitates rapid, stable, instrumentation for ‘in field’ studies.

The Effect Of Chop Length And Additive On Silage Intake And Milk Production In Cows, V. Toivonen, T. Heikkilä

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Effects of reduced silage chop length on silage intake and milk production by dairy cows have been variable. Chopping of grass at harvest generally improves silage fermentation quality and consequently intake. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of chopping flail harvested silage ensiled with acid or biological additive prior to feeding on intake, milk yield and milk composition in dairy cows.

Evaluation Of Narrow-Row Forage Maize In Field-Scale Studies, W. J. Cox, J. H. Cherney, D. J. R. Cherney

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Some dairy producers in the north-eastern USA adopted narrow row (0.38 m) maize forage production in the mid-1990s because of its 5% dry matter (DM) yield advantage (Cox et al., 1998). These dairy producers, however, continued to plant forage maize at high plant densities (125,000 plants/ha) under high N fertility (225 kg N/ha), despite research that indicated that forage maize had optimum DM yields and forage quality when planted at the recommended 100,000 plants/ha under 175 kg/ha of N fertility (Cox & Cherney, 2001). We evaluated forage maize at 0.38 and 0.76 m (conventional) row spacing under recommended vs. …

The Feeding Value Of Conserved Whole-Crop Wheat And Forage Maize Relative To Grass Silage And Ad-Libitum Concentrates For Beef Cattle, K. Walsh, P. O'Kiely, F. O'Mara

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Grass is the predominant forage ensiled in Ireland. However, the relatively modest yields achieved in a single harvest allied to variability in digestibility and ensilability (and thus in intake and animal performance response) and the likelihood of effluent production create disadvantages for grass silage compared to the potential of some alternative forage crops. Thus, alternative forages are worthy of consideration on many farms. The objectives of this study were to quantify the relative intake, digestibility and performance of beef cattle offered grass silage, forage maize silage and whole-crop wheat (fermented or urea-treated), rank these relative to cattle offered an ad …

Ensiling Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius) As An Alternative Winter Forage Crop In Israel, Z. G. Weinberg, S. Y. Landau, A. Bat-Tal, Y. Chen, M. Gamburg, S. Brener, L. Devash

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Israel is a subtropical country in which the rainy season is in winter, with frequent droughts. Wheat is the major winter forage crop in Israel, along with legumes as rotation crops. Alternative forage crops are sought that would be suitable for semi-arid areas. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is usually grown as a source for oil and pigments but spineless cultivars could be used as fodder. Leshem et al. (2001) reported DM yields up to 22 t/ha and high DM digestibility when used for heifers. When safflower silage substituted maize and wheat silage in the rations of lactating cows, …

Effects Of Two Different Chopping Lengths Of Maize Silage On Silage Quality And Dairy Performance, K. Mahlkow, J. Thaysen

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Maize silage harvested at dough stage contains less fibre structure than grass silage. Due to higher proportions of maize silage in dairy rations and due to the fact that with longer chopping length of maize silage the contribution of fibre structure increases. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of two chopping lengths in the silage on animal performance with respect to feed intake, milk yields and ingredients as well as physiological effects of digestion.

Effect Of Additives At Harvest On The Digestibility In Lambs Of Whole Crop Barley Or Wheat Silage, S. Muhonen, I. Olsson, P. Lingvall

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

There are very few published articles about how silage additives affect digestibility of whole crop silage. In this experiment, male lambs were given whole crop barley or wheat silage harvested at dough stage with a number of different acid-based and bacterial additives.

Use Of Silage Additives In Ensiling Of Whole-Crop Barley And Wheat - A Comparison Of Round Big Bales And Precision Chopped Silages, M. Knický, P. Lingvall

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

An increasing use of whole-crop cereals, as supplementary feed, has increased interest in development of efficient ways of preserving these forages to achieve a high hygienic quality. It is known that ensiling of whole-cereals often results in silages with high concentrations of butyric acid (Weissbach & Haacker, 1988). Furthermore, problems with poor aerobic stability still persist despite the use of lactic acid bacteria (Filya et al., 2000). Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of different types of additive mixtures on the fermentation process and aerobic stability of precision chopped and baled silages.

Yield And Composition Of Forage Maize: Interaction Of Harvest Date, Cultivar And Plastic Mulch, E. M. Little, P. O'Kiely, J. C. Crowley, G. P. Keane

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Forage maize is established as a crop with the potential to consistently supply high yields of quality forage on some Irish farms. Despite its success, considerable variability in crop yield, quality and maturity at harvest can exist from year to year. These reflect differing prevailing weather conditions, particularly temperature during May to September. The use of plastic mulch has increased the likelihood of achieving higher yields of high quality crops and has permitted maize production to extend into areas once considered unsuitable for the crop. In this experiment two cultivars of differing maturity were grown with or without plastic mulch …

Fermentation Characteristics Of Maize/Sesbania Bi-Crop Silage, M. Kondo, J. Yanagisawa, K. Kita, H. Yokota

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Maize is one of the main forages for dairy production and is a suitable material for silage making because of high fermentable carbohydrates, high counts of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and low buffering capacity (BC) (Nishino et al. 2003; McDonald et al. 1991). Whole crop maize silage is high in energy but low in crude protein (CP). On the other hand, legumes are high in CP but difficult to conserve because of their low water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and high BC. It might be possible that maize/legume bi-crop silage compensate for their negative points. Sesbania is a legume originated …

Ensiling Of Tannin-Containing Sorghum Grain, E. M. Ott, Y. Acosta Aragón, M. Gabel

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Sorghum is known as important feed-stuff in tropical regions where rainfall is insufficient for the cultivation of maize. Furthermore, those sorghum cultivars rich in tannins are naturally protected to a certain extent against bird damage, insect pests and moulds. Nevertheless, tannins impair the feed quality. Thus, the objectives of this study were to investigate whether ensiling could be a suitable preservation method for sorghum grain originally rich in tannins and if it is possible to reduce tannin content during fermentation.

Effects Of Varying Dietary Ratios Of Lucerne To Maize Silage On Production And Microbial Protein Synthesis In Lactating Dairy Cows, G. A. Broderick, A. F. Brito

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Lucerne silage (LS) is high in total CP and rumen degraded protein (RDP) but low in fermentable energy, while maize silage (MS) is a good source of fermentable energy but low in RDP. Thus, these silages are complementary and feeding them at optimum ratio should increase nutrient efficiency in lactating cows. Dhiman & Satter (1997) observed greater milk yield when the dietary forage was 2/3 LS and 1/3 MS. The objective of this experiment was to optimise the dietary LS:MS ratio for production, microbial protein and N utilisation.

Sustained Aerobic Stability Of By-Products Silage Stored As A Total Mixed Ration, N. Nishino, H. Hattori, H. Wada

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Ensiling a total mixed ration (TMR) has been practiced in Japan when high-moisture by-products are used as ruminant feed. Wet brewers grains (BG) are a common feed resource and approximately one million t are produced annually. Nishino et al. (2003; 2004) reported that, although silage would easily deteriorate in the presence of air when wet BG were ensiled alone, the spoilage could be avoided when stored as a TMR. Interestingly, the resistance to deterioration was consistently found whether high (> 106 cfu/g) or no (/g) yeasts were detected at unloading. In this study, changes during ensilage and after exposure …

Effect Of Variety And Species On The Chemical Composition Of Lotus When Ensiled, C. L. Marley, R. Fychan, R. Jones

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Research has shown that there are positive benefits from using Lotus as a grazing forage for ruminants. These findings warrant studies into the suitability of different varieties for silage production. In this experiment, we investigated the chemical composition of 13 birdsfoot trefoil varieties and 1 greater birdsfoot trefoil when ensiled.

Cob Development In Forage Maize: Influence Of Harvest Date, Cultivar And Plastic Mulch, E. M. Little, P. O'Kiely, J. C. Crowley, G. P. Keane

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Forage maize grown for silage tends to be a compromise between reproductive and vegetative yield, and the cob component is the main driver of feeding value (Keane et al., 2003). Thus the aim is to produce a well-developed crop of high dry matter (DM) and starch content reflecting large cobs of well-filled grains rather than crops with low DM and starch contents reflecting poorly developed (immature) cob components at harvest. The use of plastic mulch can increase total DM yields with the increase in cob yield accounting for 75% of the total yield increase (Easson & Fearnehough, 1997). In …

The Influence Of Crop Maturity And Type Of Baler On Whole Crop Barley Silage Production, P. Lingvall, M. Knicky, B. Frank, B. Rustas, J. Wallsten

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Bale ensiling is based on long cut forages. Earlier studies (Honig, 1984; 1987) have shown the importance of laceration and high density in preventing fungi growth and storage instability. On the other hand use of an efficient baling technology reduces the time between moving and wrapping of bale to less than 10 minutes with a combi-baler compared to two hours with a separate wrapper. Even during feeding late fermentation is restricted as the bale is fed within some hours after opening. Ensiling of whole crop cereals needs the addition of silage additives to avoid clostridial fermentation (Weissbach et al., …

Ndf Digestion In Dairy Cows Fed Grass Or Red Clover Silages Cut At Two Stages Of Growth, K. Kuoppala, S. Ahvenjärvi, M. Rinne, A. Vanhatalo

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Increasing demand for organic dairy products has encouraged research on red clover, as it is an important plant species in organic farming systems. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of plant species and growth stage on NDF digestion in dairy cows.

Effect Of Stage Of Maturity On The Nutrient Content Of Alfalfa, Y. Tyrolova, A. Vyborna

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), one of the major agricultural crops in the Czech Republic, is grown on 15.8% of the arable land. Alfalfa silage forms a substantial part of diets for farm animals. It is very important to choose a suitable term of harvesting for ensilage from the view of optimal nutrient content. The stage of maturity at cutting has large effects on each component, except crude protein (Yu et al., 2004). Alfalfa can be difficult to ensile due to a high buffering capacity and a low WSC content.

Parameters Of Ensiled Maize With Biological And Chemical Additives, J. Grajewski, A. Potkański, K. Raczkowska-Werwińska, M. Twarużek, B. Miklaszewska

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The amount of maize grown in Poland has increased rapidly. Nowadays it takes about 600,000 ha, 40% of which is used as silage. Changing climate in Poland, with dry summer followed by wet autumn with ground frost causes extensive moulds contamination and high presence of the fusarium toxins in the maize during the harvest. The norms accepted in the EU concerning the acceptable level of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenol (ZON) in feedstuffs for cattle require detailed examination of this problem as it decides on the health quality and production results. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects …

Effects Of Feeding Legume Silage With Differing Tannin Levels On Lactating Dairy Cattle, U. C. Hymes Fecht, G. A. Broderick, R. E. Muck

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Condensed tannins (CT) bind to plant proteins in the rumen, reducing protein degradation to ammonia and increasing milk production and milk protein (e.g. Waghorn, 1987). Previous research showed that the reduced soluble non-protein nitrogen (NPN) content of red clover (Trifolium pratense) silage (RCS) was related to its greater N efficiency relative to lucerne (Medicago sativa) silage (LS) (Broderick et al., 2001). Commercial cultivars of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus; BFT) contain modest levels of CT which reduce NPN formation in silage (Albrecht & Muck, 1991). The objective was to compare silages made from BFT …

An Evaluation Of The Inclusion Of Alternative Forages With Grass Silage-Based Diets On Carcass Composition And Meat Quality Of Beef Cattle Offered Two Contrasting Grass Silages, T. W. J. Keady, F. O. Lively, D. J. Kilpatrick, B. W. Moss

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Recent studies have shown that the inclusion of some alternative forages with grass silage-based diets can increase animal performance of beef cattle. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of including either maize or whole crop wheat (WCW) silages with grass silage-based diets on meat quality of beef cattle offered two levels of concentrate.

Nutritive Value For Finishing Beef Steers Of Wheat Grain Conserved By Different Techniques, P. Stacey, P. O'Kiely, A. P. Moloney, F. P. O'Mara

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Wheat grain harvested at dry matter (DM) concentrations above 860 g/kg is slow to deteriorate during long-term storage. However, high moisture grain (HMG) ranging from below 600 to 750 g DM/kg is conserved on some farms in the form of anaerobic storage of acid-treated, rolled wheat (AR) and urea-treated whole-wheat (UN) (Stacey et al., 2003). This experiment quantified the nutritive value for beef cattle of standard wheat grain (propionic acid-treated and rolled:PR) compared to AR and UN at different levels of intake.

Blood Meal As A Source Of Histidine For Cattle Fed Grass Silage And Barley, R. Berthiaume, C. Lafrenière

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Previous research has shown that cattle fed grass silage are responsive to protected amino acids (Veira et al., 1991). Methionine and lysine were suggested as the most limiting amino acids for grass silage diets. Recently, Korhonen et al. (2000) have shown that histidine is the first limiting amino acids for dairy cows fed grass silage and barley-based concentrates. However, histidine is not available in a rumen protected form and needs to be provided through dietary ingredients. Blood meal is rich in histidine. This trial was designed to determine the effect of increasing histidine supply through blood meal on …

Effect Of Additive Treatment On Meat Quality, V. Vrotniakiene, J. Jatkauskas

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Major components of meat quality are physico-chemical properties (including visual appearance and tenderness) and dietetic properties (i.e. fat content and fatty acid composition) (Razminowicz et al., 2004). Physico-chemical and technological properties of meat are influenced by feeding system, feeds quality and various feeds additives (Brzoska et al., 1999). The aim of the present study was compare the influence of untreated, inoculated and chemically-treated legume-grass silage on carcass composition and physico-chemical properties of meat when fed to fattening bulls.

The Effects Of Alfalfa Silage Harvesting Systems On Dry Matter Intake Of Friesland Dairy Ewes In Late Pregnancy, H. F. Elizalde

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

With the recent introduction of alfalfa in Chilean Patagonia (Aisén), its utilisation as silage has to be reviewed relative to animal performance. The effect of silage chop length on the voluntary intake has been evaluated in different species, with sheep being more sensitive to chop length than cattle (Dulphy et al., 1984). The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of different alfalfa silage chop lengths on dry matter (DM) intake and eating behaviour of Friesland dairy ewes in late pregnancy.

Replacement Of Maize/Soybean Meal Concentrate By High Moisture Maize Grain Plus Wholeseed Soybean Silage For Cattle, C. C. Jobim, A. F. Branco, V. F. Gai, U. Cecato

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Ensiling high moisture maize grain with wholeseed soybean can increase quality of silage, mainly in relation to protein and energy (Jobim et al., 2002) working as concentrate. This fact contributes to reduced use of concentrate and costs for milk and beef production, and costs related to grain storage on the farms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritive value of high moisture maize grain plus wholeseed soybean silage through partial and total digestibility in cattle.