TY - JOUR
T1 - Nutritive value of barley/kale bicrop for lactating dairy cows
AU - Moorby, Jon M.
AU - Evans, Phil R.
AU - Young, N. E.
N1 - Moorby, J. M., Evans, P. R., Young, N. E. (2003). Nutritive value of barley/kale bicrop for lactating dairy cows. Grass and Forage Science, 58, (2), 184-191
Sponsorship: MAFF; Milk Development Council
PY - 2003/6
Y1 - 2003/6
N2 - Six mid-lactation multiparous Holstein–Friesian dairy
cows were used to examine the potential of a fermented
whole-crop barley (Hordeum vulgare)/kale (Brassica oleracea)
bi-crop as a feed compared with a first-cut
perennial ryegrass silage. The barley/kale bi-crop was
grown as a strip intercrop, and was harvested and
ensiled as an intimate mixture [0Æ80 barley and 0Æ20
kale on a dry-matter (DM) basis]. Animals were offered
ad libitum access to one of three experimental diets in a
duplicated Latin Square design experiment: (i) Bi-crop
(the barley/kale bi-crop); (ii) Grass (the grass silage);
and (iii) Mix (a 1:1 fresh mixture of Bi-crop and Grass).
All animals also received a standard dairy concentrate at
a rate of 4 kg d)1 in equal portions at each of two
milkings. The Bi-crop and Grass silages contained 346
and 293 g DM kg)1, 108 and 168 g crude protein kg)1
DM, 268 and 36 g starch kg)1 DM, and had pH values of
3Æ87 and 3Æ80 respectively. Animals offered the two
bi-crop silage-containing diets consumed more forage
DM than those offered grass silage (14Æ6, 14Æ9 and
12Æ6 kgDM d)1 for Bi-crop, Mix and Grass respectively;
s.e.d. 0Æ45, P <0Æ01) and yielded more milk (24Æ0, 23Æ9,
22Æ6 kg d)1 for Bi-crop, Mix and Grass respectively;
s.e.d. 0Æ26, P <0Æ01). However, differences in the
partitioning of dietary nitrogen towards milk protein
and away from excretion in urine suggest a more
efficient (rumen) utilization of feed protein by animals
offered diets containing the bi-crop silage. It is
concluded that, despite having a low crude protein
concentration, barley/kale bi-crop silage offers excellent
potential as a feed for lactating dairy cows.
AB - Six mid-lactation multiparous Holstein–Friesian dairy
cows were used to examine the potential of a fermented
whole-crop barley (Hordeum vulgare)/kale (Brassica oleracea)
bi-crop as a feed compared with a first-cut
perennial ryegrass silage. The barley/kale bi-crop was
grown as a strip intercrop, and was harvested and
ensiled as an intimate mixture [0Æ80 barley and 0Æ20
kale on a dry-matter (DM) basis]. Animals were offered
ad libitum access to one of three experimental diets in a
duplicated Latin Square design experiment: (i) Bi-crop
(the barley/kale bi-crop); (ii) Grass (the grass silage);
and (iii) Mix (a 1:1 fresh mixture of Bi-crop and Grass).
All animals also received a standard dairy concentrate at
a rate of 4 kg d)1 in equal portions at each of two
milkings. The Bi-crop and Grass silages contained 346
and 293 g DM kg)1, 108 and 168 g crude protein kg)1
DM, 268 and 36 g starch kg)1 DM, and had pH values of
3Æ87 and 3Æ80 respectively. Animals offered the two
bi-crop silage-containing diets consumed more forage
DM than those offered grass silage (14Æ6, 14Æ9 and
12Æ6 kgDM d)1 for Bi-crop, Mix and Grass respectively;
s.e.d. 0Æ45, P <0Æ01) and yielded more milk (24Æ0, 23Æ9,
22Æ6 kg d)1 for Bi-crop, Mix and Grass respectively;
s.e.d. 0Æ26, P <0Æ01). However, differences in the
partitioning of dietary nitrogen towards milk protein
and away from excretion in urine suggest a more
efficient (rumen) utilization of feed protein by animals
offered diets containing the bi-crop silage. It is
concluded that, despite having a low crude protein
concentration, barley/kale bi-crop silage offers excellent
potential as a feed for lactating dairy cows.
KW - diet digestibility
KW - feed intake
KW - milk quality
KW - milk yield
KW - nitrogen utilization
U2 - 10.1046/j.1365-2494.2003.00370.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1365-2494.2003.00370.x
M3 - Article
SN - 0142-5242
VL - 58
SP - 184
EP - 191
JO - Grass and Forage Science
JF - Grass and Forage Science
IS - 2
ER -