Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T14:47:57.971Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The development of plant components and their effects on the composition of fresh and ensiled forage maize: 3. The effect of grain content on milk production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. H. Phipps ,
R. F. Weller  and
Rosemary J. Fulford
R. H. Phipps
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9AT
R. F. Weller
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9AT
Rosemary J. Fulford
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9AT
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Maize (Anjou 210), a density-sensitive genotype, was established at 5 and 15 plants/m2 and produced crops containing 50 and 26% grain respectively. Prior to ensiling, the high and low grain crops contained 6·9 and 20·4% water-soluble carbohydrates in the dry matter respectively and were reduced to 0·4 and 1·6% of the dry matter in the silage. The high grain silage contained a lower concentration of acid-detergent fibre, cellulose, lignin, cell-wall constituents and organic acids than the low grain silage. These differences were not reflected in the in vitro digestible organic matter in the dry matter values which were similar in both silages.

Two groups of autumn-calving Freisian cows were offered either the high or low grain silage ad libitum as the sole forage plus an 18% crude protein concentrate during a 14-week experimental period. The cows which received the high grain silage produced significantly more milk of a significantly lower milk fat content than the cows which received the low grain silage.

The increased milk production coupled with the smaller loss of water-soluble carbohydrates during ensiling show that a high grain content in forage maize is a desirable attribute. It is suggested that density tolerance should be one of the selection criteria used by plant breeders to allow crops to be established at high plant densities from which near maximum dry-matter yields could be obtained, while still containing a high proportion of grain.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 92 , Issue 2 , April 1979 , pp. 493 - 498
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

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

Andrieu, J. & Demabquilly, C. (1974). Feeding value of maize forage. II. Effect of growth stage, variety, crop density, artificial ear enrichment, urea addition on digestibility and voluntary intake of maize silage. Annales de Zootechnie 23, 1–25.Google Scholar
Bloc, D. (1971). La production de mais-fourrage. Bulletin Technique d'Information, pp. 933–1000.Google Scholar
Bunting, E. S. (1975). The question of grain content and forage quality in maize: comparisons between isogenic fertile and sterile plants. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 85, 455–463.Google Scholar
Bunting, E. S. (1976). Effects of grain formation on dry matter distribution and forage quality in maize. Experimental Agriculture 12, 417–428.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Byers, J. H., Kendall, K. A. & Obmiston, E. E. (1965). Feeding value of dwarf corn silage compared with corn and hybrid sorghum silage. Journal of Dairy Science 54, 533–536.Google Scholar
Cameron, C. D. T. & La, Chance C. E. L. (1970). Effects of cultivar and maturity of ensiled corn plant fed with and without concentrates on the performance of group and individually fed Hereford and Angus steers. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 50, 513–519.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clanton, D. C. & Karn, J. F. (1973). Yield and feed value of selected silage crops fed to calves. University of Nebraska/Lincoln College of Agriculture, Bulletin Number SB/522.Google Scholar
Cummins, D. G. & Burns, R. E. (1969). Yield and quality of corn silage as influenced by harvest height. Agronomy Journal 61, 468–470.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Daynard, T. B. & Hunter, R. B. (1975). Relationships among whole plant moisture, grain moisture, dry matter yield and quality of whole crop silage. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 49, 361–370.Google Scholar
Fisher, L. J., Logan, V. S., Donovan, L. S. & Carson, R. B. (1968). Factors influencing dry matter intake of corn silage by lactating cows. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 48, 207–214.Google Scholar
Freyman, S., Kaldy, M. S., Bowden, D. N. & Wilson, D. B. (1973). Nutritive potential of multitillering corn compared with non-tillering corn for silage. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 53, 129–130.Google Scholar
Gross, F. (1970). Einfluss des Erntezeitpunktes auf den Flutterwert von Maisgarfutter. Das Wirtschaftseigene Futter 16, 306–336.Google Scholar
Hemken, R. W., Clark, N. A., Goering, H. K. & Vandersall, J. H. (1971). Nutritive value of corn silage as influenced by grain content. Journal of Dairy Science 54, 383–389.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Logan, V. S., Fisher, L. J. & Hayden, P. S. (1968). Effect of variety of ensiled corn and hay supplementation on milk production. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 48, 41–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McAllan, A. B. & Phipps, R. H. (1977). The effect of sample date and plant density on the carbohydrate content of forage maize and the changes that occur on ensiling. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 89, 589–597.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCullough, M. E. (1970). Silage research at the Georgia Station. University of Georgia Agricultural Experimental Station Research Report, Number 75.Google Scholar
Owen, F. G. (1967). Factors affecting nutritive value of corn and sorghum silage. Journal of Dairy Science 50, 404–416.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phipps, R. H. (1978). Utilisation of maize silage for milk production. In Forage Maize. London: Agricultural Research Council.Google Scholar
Phipps, R. H. & Weller, R. F. (1979). The development of plant components and their effects on the composition of fresh and ensiled forage maize. 1. The accumulation of dry matter, chemical composition and nutritive value of fresh maize. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 92, 471–483.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stake, P. E., Owens, M. J., Sohingoethe, D. J. & Voelker, H. H. (1973). Comparative feeding value of high sugar male sterile and regular dent corn silages. Journal of Dairy Science 56, 1439–1444.Google Scholar
Thomson, A. J. & Rogers, H. H. (1968). Yield and quality components in maize grown for silage. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 71, 393–403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkinson, J. M. & Phipps, R. H. (1979). The development of plant components and their effects on the composition of fresh and ensiled forage maize. 2. The effect of genotype, plant density and date of harvest on the composition of maize silage. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 92, 485–491.CrossRefGoogle Scholar