|
|
||||||||
MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Jokioinen, Finland
2 Correspondence:
FIN-31600 Jokioinen (phone: +358 3 4188 3660, fax +358 3 4188 3661, E-mail:
marketta.rinne{at}mtt.fi).
The objective of this experiment was to quantify ruminal digestive processes that could help to identify factors limiting DMI when silages differing in grass maturity were fed to dairy cows. Four silages were harvested at 1-wk intervals from a primary growth of a timothy-meadow fescue sward, resulting in feeds with digestible OM content in DM (D-value) of 739, 730, 707, and 639 g/kg in the order of succeeding harvest date. Four ruminally cannulated dairy cows were given ad libitum access to these silages supplemented with 7 kg concentrate per day in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Rumen function was clearly affected by decreasing digestibility of silage fed. Passage rate of digestible NDF (DNDF) and indigestible NDF (INDF) increased, but it could not prevent the accumulation of DM, NDF, DNDF, and INDF into the rumen when silages of progressing grass maturity were fed. The greatest proportional increases in rumen pool were found in INDF and in medium particles (separated by wet sieving and measuring 315 to 2,500 µm). The passage of medium INDF particles decreased (P < 0.01) linearly (from 0.0365/h to 0.0281/h) with increasing maturity of grass ensiled, and it was slower than passage of small (80 to 315 µm) particles (on average 0.0524/h). Particle size reduction of large INDF particles to medium INDF particles was slower (P < 0.001) in the early cut silages (0.0216/h to 0.0484/h) but reduction of medium INDF particles to small INDF particles was faster (P < 0.001) in early cut silages (0.0436 to 0.0305). Passage of medium size particles and(or) rate of medium particle breakdown to small particles were potential intake-constraining properties of low digestibility forages, whereas large particle reduction to medium particles seemed not to be limiting. The increased feed intake of the early-cut silages was accompanied by decreased rumen fill, suggesting that rumen fill was not at least solely responsible for feed intake control.
Key Words: Dairy cows Digestibility Digestion Kinetics Feed Intake Particle Size Reduction Rumen
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
A. Vanhatalo, K. Kuoppala, S. Ahvenjarvi, and M. Rinne Effects of feeding grass or red clover silage cut at two maturity stages in dairy cows. 1. Nitrogen metabolism and supply of amino acids J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2009; 92(11): 5620 - 5633. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Kuoppala, S. Ahvenjarvi, M. Rinne, and A. Vanhatalo Effects of feeding grass or red clover silage cut at two maturity stages in dairy cows. 2. Dry matter intake and cell wall digestion kinetics J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2009; 92(11): 5634 - 5644. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. Nousiainen, M. Rinne, and P. Huhtanen A meta-analysis of feed digestion in dairy cows. 1. The effects of forage and concentrate factors on total diet digestibility J Dairy Sci, October 1, 2009; 92(10): 5019 - 5030. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. J. Hart, P. G. Martin, P. A. Foley, D. A. Kenny, and T. M. Boland Effect of sward dry matter digestibility on methane production, ruminal fermentation, and microbial populations of zero-grazed beef cattle J Anim Sci, October 1, 2009; 87(10): 3342 - 3350. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. N. Hristov Comparative characterization of reticular and duodenal digesta and possibilities of estimating microbial outflow from the rumen based on reticular sampling in dairy cows J Anim Sci, October 1, 2007; 85(10): 2606 - 2613. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. A. Beck, S. Hutchison, C. B. Stewart, J. D. Shockey, and S. A. Gunter Effect of crabgrass (Digitaria ciliaris) hay harvest interval on forage quality and performance of growing calves fed mixed diets J Anim Sci, February 1, 2007; 85(2): 527 - 535. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. E. Foley, A. N. Hristov, A. Melgar, J. K. Ropp, R. P. Etter, S. Zaman, C. W. Hunt, K. Huber, and W. J. Price Effect of barley and its amylopectin content on ruminal fermentation and nitrogen utilization in lactating dairy cows. J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2006; 89(11): 4321 - 4335. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. C. Ellis, M. Mahlooji, C. E. Lascano, and J. H. Matis Effects of size of ingestively masticated fragments of plant tissues on kinetics of digestion of NDF J Anim Sci, July 1, 2005; 83(7): 1602 - 1615. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. N. Hristov, L. R. Kennington, M. A. McGuire, and C. W. Hunt Effect of diets containing linoleic acid- or oleic acid-rich oils on ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility, and performance and fatty acid composition of adipose and muscle tissues of finishing cattle J Anim Sci, June 1, 2005; 83(6): 1312 - 1321. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Sairanen, H. Khalili, J. I. Nousiainen, S. Ahvenjarvi, and P. Huhtanen The Effect of Concentrate Supplementation on Nutrient Flow to the Omasum in Dairy Cows Receiving Freshly Cut Grass J Dairy Sci, April 1, 2005; 88(4): 1443 - 1453. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. N. Hristov, K. L. Grandeen, J. K. Ropp, and M. A. McGuire Effect of Sodium Laurate on Ruminal Fermentation and Utilization of Ruminal Ammonia Nitrogen for Milk Protein Synthesis in Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, June 1, 2004; 87(6): 1820 - 1831. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. Fernandez, C. Martin, M. Champion, and B. Michalet-Doreau Effect of Corn Hybrid and Chop Length of Whole-Plant Corn Silage on Digestion and Intake by Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2004; 87(5): 1298 - 1309. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Eriksson, M. Murphy, P. Ciszuk, and E. Burstedt Nitrogen Balance, Microbial Protein Production, and Milk Production in Dairy Cows Fed Fodder Beets and Potatoes, or Barley J Dairy Sci, April 1, 2004; 87(4): 1057 - 1070. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. N. Hristov, S. Ahvenjarvi, T. A. McAllister, and P. Huhtanen Composition and digestive tract retention time of ruminal particles with functional specific gravity greater or less than 1.02 J Anim Sci, October 1, 2003; 81(10): 2639 - 2648. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |