Investigations on Feeding Value of Artificially Dehydrated and Compacted Grass (Grass Cobs) in Dairy Cows
A feeding trial in 48 dairy cows was conducted to evaluate the effects of partial replacement of grass silage and concentrates by artificially dehydrated and compacted grass (grass cobs).The feeding trial was conducted over a period of 12 weeks.Based on data of a 2 week pre-period, cows were evenly distributed to2 feeding groups (”control” and ”cobs”) considering breed, milk yield and milk constituents, feed intake,stage of lactation, and body condition.The control group was offered a grass silage based total mixed diet(TMR) allowing a daily milk production of about 35 kg based on energy and nutrient concentration.Portion of concentrates and maize silage of the control diet was 41% and 20 % of DM, respectively.In the diet of cobs group, about 25 % of DM grass cobs were included in replacement of grass silage and concentrates.There were no treatment effects on daily feed intake which was slightly above 23 kg DM/animal and day.Energy intake was slightly higher in control group compared to the cobs group.Milk yield, milk composition and body composition was not significantly influenced by dietary treatment.Data of the feeding trial show, that feeding of high amounts of grass cobs to dairy cows is basically possible.At the same time, heat treatment has the potential to allow the production of high-quality roughages,independently of current climatic conditions.Moreover, technical heat treatment enhances concentration of ruminal undegradable protein (UDP) in cobs compared to untreated grass or grass silage.If composition of total diet and concentrates is adapted accordingly, inclusion of grass cobs in the diet allows to reduce portion of protein concentrates in the diets.It is demonstrated, that the technique of artificially drying and compacting grass (production of grass cobs) allows to produce high quality forage, independently of current climatic conditions.The compacted material has some advantages for handling in feeding practice and in transport.It is also demonstrated that the production of grass cobs needs a relatively high energy input, what is especially discussed controversially,when no regenerative energy is available.Thus, one more message of the session is that production of grass cobs is especially promising when very high-quality raw material is used.Besides presentation of data from a feeding trial in dairy cows (see below), data on feeding quality of grass products from the area of Bavaria is presented.
Hubert Spiekers
Bavarian State Research Center Institute for Animal Nutrition and Forage, Germany
国内会议
安徽蚌埠
英文
320-324
2015-10-25（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）