Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T02:32:16.572Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Whole-crop wheat for dairy cows: effects of crop maturity, a silage inoculant and an enzyme added before feeding on food intake and digestibility and milk production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

J. D. Sutton ,
R. H. Phipps ,
E. R. Deaville ,
A. K. Jones  and
D. J. Humphries
J. D. Sutton*
Affiliation:
Centre for Dairy Research, Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
R. H. Phipps
Affiliation:
Centre for Dairy Research, Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
E. R. Deaville
Affiliation:
ADAS Nutritional Sciences Research Unit, Drayton Manor Drive, Alcester Road, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 9RQ, UK
A. K. Jones
Affiliation:
Centre for Dairy Research, Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
D. J. Humphries
Affiliation:
Centre for Dairy Research, Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
*
† Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

To measure the effect of stage of maturity of whole-crop (WCW) on its composition, digestibility and feeding value winter wheat was harvested at different maturities in two successive years. In year 1 WCW was harvested at 301(low dry matter (DM)) and 511(high DM) g DM per kg and ensiled and at 584 g DM per kg and treated with 40 kg urea per t DM before being stored (urea-treated WCW). Part of the high DM WCW was treated with an additive containing Lactobacillus buchneri at harvest. In year 2 WCW was harvested at 321 (low DM) and 496 (high DM) g DM per kg and ensiled before both crops were offered to the cows with or without a fibrolytic enzyme sprayed on the forage just before feeding. In both years the WCW was offered ad libitum in a 2: 1 WCW: grass silage DM ratio with 10 kg fresh weight concentrates per day to 40 early-lactation Holstein-Friesian cows in a 13-or 15-week production study with a continuous design and to four fistulated lactating cows in a 4 ✕ 4 Latin-square experiment for measurement of diet digestibility. In both years neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) content decreased and starch content increased with advancing maturity. In the production trials, DM intake increased (P 0·01) with advancing maturity but milk yield was not significantly affected. Milk protein yield was increased by urea-treated WCW. The additives had no effect on food intake or milk production. In year 1, digestibility of all fractions except starch was lower for high DM WCW than low DM WCW but for urea-treated WCW only the digestibility of starch and energy was lower than digestibility of the low DM WCW fractions. The inoculant had no significant effect. In year 2 crop maturity had no significant effect on digestibility but the enzyme reduced the digestibility of neutraland acid-detergent fibre (NDF and ADF, P 0·05). In year 1, each of the forage mixtures was offered to sheep at 12 g DM per kg live weight per day. There were significant treatment effects on the digestibility of DM (P 0·05) and organic matter (OM) (P 0·01) and on DOMD (digestible OM in the DM) (P 0·01) with the highest values being obtained for urea-treated WCW and the lowest for the inoculant-treated high DM WCW. Digestibility coefficients for NDF and ADF were highest for the urea-treated WCW while starch digestibility was essentially complete for all the WCW treatments. The metabolizable energy value (MJ/kg corrected DM) of the WCW decreased with advancing maturity when measured with both the lactating cows (10·4, 9·3 and 9·0) and the sheep (11·4, 10·8 and 10·3) in contrast to the predictions based on the chemical composition (9·6, 10·4 and 12·4). It is concluded that food intake increases with advancing crop maturity but milk production responses are small. Effects on digestibility were inconsistent but the energy value measured in the cows fell with advancing maturity in both years. The increase in crop yield per ha with advancing maturity is likely to be the most important factor influencing the decision to harvest later. The silage additives tested were not beneficial.

Keywords

dairy cowsdigestibilitymaturitymilk productionwhole-crop wheat
Type
Ruminant nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 74 , Issue 2 , April 2002 , pp. 307 - 318
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abdalla, A. L., Sutton, J. D., Phipps, R. H. and Humphries, D. J. 1999. Digestion in the rumen of lactating dairy cows given mixtures of urea-treated whole-crop wheat and grass silage. Animal Science 69: 203–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adesogan, A. T., Givens, D. I. and Owen, E. 1998a. Prediction of the in vivo digestibility of whole crop wheat from in vitro digestibility, chemical composition, in situ rumen degradability, in vitr gas production and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Animal Feed Science and Technology 74: 259–272.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adesogan, A. T., Owen, E. and Givens, D. I. 1999. Prediction of the metabolizable energy value of whole-crop wheat from laboratory-based measurements. Animal Science 69: 427–439.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adesogan, A. T., Owen, E. and Givens, D. I. 1998b. The chemical composition, digestibility and energy value of fermented and urea-treated whole crop wheat harvested at three stages of maturity. Grass and Forage Science 53: 66–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Agricultural and Food Research Council. 1993. Energy and protein requirements of ruminants. An advisory manual prepared by the AFRC Technical Committee on Responses to Nutrients. CAB International, Wallingford.Google Scholar
Blaxter, K. L. and Clapperton, J. L. 1965. Prediction of the amount of methane produced by ruminants. British Journal of Nutrition 19: 511–522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cammell, S. B., Beever, D. E., Sutton, J. D., France, J., Alderman, G. and Humphries, D. J. 2000. An examination of energy utilization in lactating dairy cows receiving a total mixed ration based on maize silage. Animal Science 71: 585–596.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deschard, G., Mason, V. C. and Tetlow, R. M. 1988. Treatment of whole-crop cereals with alkali. 4. Voluntary intake and growth in steers given wheat ensiled with sodium hydroxide, urea or ammonia. Animal Feed Science and Technology 19: 55–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Driehus, F., Stefanie, J. W. H., Elferink, O. and Wikselaar, P. Van. 1999. Lactobacillus buchneri improves aerobic stability of laboratory and farmscale whole crop maize silage but does not affect feed intake and milk production of dairy cows. Proceedings of the 12th international silage conference, Uppsala, Sweden, pp. 264–265.Google Scholar
Givens, D. I. and Moss, A. R. 1994. Effect of breed, sex and bodyweight of sheep on the measurement of apparent digestibility of dried grass. Animal Feed Science and Technology 46: 155–162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harrison, S. 1999. The role of silage additives in improving the quality of maize silage. Ph.D. thesis, University of Reading. Google Scholar
Heinzl, W. E., Schwarz, F. J. and Kirchgessner, M. 1989. [Feeding value of barley- and wheat-whole-crop silage for dairy cows at different harvest points. 2. Feed intake and milk production.] Das Wirtschaftseigene Futter 35: 187–200.Google Scholar
Kirchgessner, M., Heinzl, W. E. and Schwarz, F. J. 1989. [Feeding value of barley- and wheat-whole-crop silage for dairy cows at different harvest points. 1. Chemical composition, digestibility and energy value.] Das Wirtschaftseigene Futter 35: 171–186.Google Scholar
Kristensen, V. F. 1992. The production and feeding of whole-crop cereals and legumes in Denmark. In Whole-crop cereals (ed. Stark, B. A. and Wilkinson, J. M.), pp. 21–37. Chalcombe Publications, Canterbury.Google Scholar
Kristensen, V. F. and Ohlsson, C. 1995. [Urea as additive for whole-crop wheat silage.] Beretning fra Fællesudvalget for Statens Planteavls- og Husdyrbrugsforsøg, no. 22.Google Scholar
Kung, L. and Muck, R. E. 1997. Animal response to additives. Proceedings of the silage: field to feedbunk North American Conference, Hershey, Pennsylvania.Google Scholar
Kung, L., Treacher, R. J., Nauman, G. A., Smagala, A. M., Endres, K. M. and Cohen, M. A. 1999. The effect of treating forages with fibrolytic enzymes on its nutritive value and lactation performance of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 83: 115–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leaver, J. D. and Hill, J. 1995. The performance of dairy cows offered ensiled whole-crop wheat, urea-treated whole-crop wheat or sodium hydroxide-treated wheat grain and wheat straw in a mixture with grass silage. Animal Science 61: 481–489.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. 1986. The analysis of agricultural materials. Reference book 427. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Phipps, R. H., Sutton, J. D., Beever, D. E., Bhat, M. K., Hartnell, G. F., Vicini, J. and Hard, D. L. 2000. Effect of cell wall degrading enzymes and method of application on feed intake and milk production of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 83: (suppl. 1) 236.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phipps, R. H., Sutton, J. D. and Jones, B. A. 1995. Forage mixtures for dairy cows: the effect on dry-matter intake and milk production of incorporating either fermented or urea-treated whole-crop wheat, brewers’ grains, fodder beet or maize silage into diets based on grass silage. Animal Science 61: 491–496.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rode, L. M., Yang, W. Z. and Beauchemin, K. A. 1999. Fibrolytic enzyme supplements for dairy cows in early lactation. Journal of Dairy Science 82: 2121–2126.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Südekum, K.-H. and Arndt, E. 1998. [Whole-crop cereal silages: composition and feeding value for ruminants.] Übersichten zur Tierernährung 26: 87–122.Google Scholar
Südekum, K.-H., Röh, H., Brandt, M., Rave, G. and Stangassinger, M. 1995. Comparative digestion in cattle and sheep fed wheat silage diets at low and high intakes. Journal of Dairy Science 78: 1498–1511.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sutton, J. D., Abdalla, A. L., Phipps, R. H., Cammell, S. B. and Humphries, D. J. 1997. The effect of the replacement of grass silage by increasing proportions of urea-treated whole-crop wheat on food intake and apparent digestibility and milk production by dairy cows. Animal Science 65: 343–351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutton, J. D., Cammell, S. B., Beever, D. E., Humphries, D. J. and Phipps, R. H. 1998. Energy and nitrogen balance of lactating dairy cows given mixtures of urea-treated whole-crop wheat and grass silage. Animal Science 67: 203–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutton, J. D., Phipps, R. H., Cammell, S. B. and Humphries, D. J. 2001. Attempts to improve the utilization of urea-treated whole-crop wheat by lactating dairy cows. Animal Science 73: 137–147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tetlow, R. M. 1992. A decade of research into whole-crop cereals at Hurley. In Whole-crop cereals (ed. Stark, B. A. and Wilkinson, J. M.), pp. 1–19. Chalcombe Publications, Canterbury.Google Scholar