This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of dry matter (DM) content and three different storage systems on the quality of alfalfa ensiled on commercial farms. Alfalfa silage samples were collected from 21 bunker silos, 20 silos that limited oxygen infiltration, and 19 tower silos on 43 commercial dairy farms. Storage system and DM content were confounded because silages from bunker silos generally were wetter than silages from O2-limiting and tower silos. There was no effect of storage system on crude protein content of the silages. However, silage from bunker silos had higher concentrations of nonprotein N, NH3 N, and acid detergent insoluble N than did silages from the other two storage systems. The proportion of total N in neutral detergent insoluble N minus acid detergent insoluble N was greatest in silage from O2-limiting silos. Fiber components were affected by storage system; silage from bunker silos had the greatest concentration of acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber. Concentrations of acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber were higher in wetter silages from bunker silos, but DM content did not influence fiber content of silages from O2-limiting and tower silos. Concentrations of total organic acids, acetic acid, and butyric acid were highest in silages from bunker silos. The general effects of DM on the quality of silages obtained from commercial dairy farms were similar to results obtained from laboratory-scale silos.
Key words
Abbreviation Key:
NDIN (neutral detergent insoluble N)References
- Forage and Fiber Analyses (Apparatus, Reagents, Procedures, and Some Applications).ARS-USDA, Washington, DC1970 (Agric. Handbook No. 379)
- Relative susceptibility of forages to heat damage as affected by moisture, temperature, and pH.J. Dairy Sci. 1973; 56: 137
- Harvesting and Utilizing Silage.The Pennsylvania State Univ, University Park1992 (Ext. Circ. No. 396)
- Extent of heat damaged protein and nitrogen degradability in alfalfa haylage as related to silo structure, protein and dry matter content.J. Anim. Sci. 1982; 55 (Abstr.): 315
- Products of clostridial fermentation.The Biochemistry of Silage. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY1981 (Page 80)
- Oxygen.The Biochemistry of Silage. 2nd ed. Chalcombe Publ, Marlow, England1991 (Page 152)
- Dry matter level effects on alfalfa silage quality. I. Nitrogen transformations.Trans. ASAE. 1987; 30: 7
- Dry matter level effects on alfalfa silage quality. II. Fermentation products and starch hydrolysis.Trans. ASAE. 1990; 33: 373
- Effect of formic acid or formaldehyde treatment of alfalfa silage on nutrient utilization by dairy cows.J. Dairy Sci. 1992; 75: 140
SAS® User's Guide: Statistics, Version 5 Edition. 1985. SAS Inst., Inc., Cary, NC.
- Heat damage in different silage conservation systems.J. Anim. Sci. 1982; 55 (Abstr.): 323
- A net carbohydrate and protein system for evaluating cattle diets: II. Carbohydrate and protein availability.J. Anim. Sci. 1992; 70: 3562
- Principles and Procedures of Statistics with Special Reference to the Biological Sciences.McGraw-Hill, Inc, New York, NY1960 (Page 161)
- Unavailable nitrogen in haylage and hays.J. Anim. Sci. 1972; 35 (Abstr.): 1115
- Forage Analysis Procedures.Natl. Forage Testing Assoc, Omaha, NE1993 (Page 125)
- Wisconsin Dairy Facts.Wisconsin Dep. Agric., Trade Consumer Prot, Madison1996
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
November 15,
1996
Received:
May 6,
1996
Identification
Copyright
© 1997 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc.
User license
Elsevier user license | How you can reuse 
Elsevier's open access license policy
Elsevier user license
Permitted
For non-commercial purposes:
- Read, print & download
- Text & data mine
- Translate the article
Not Permitted
- Reuse portions or extracts from the article in other works
- Redistribute or republish the final article
- Sell or re-use for commercial purposes
Elsevier's open access license policy
