Grass forages grown under identical conditions and conserved as silage or barn-dried hay: Effects on feed intake, performance, apparent total-tract digestibility, and fecal microbiota in dairy cows
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Key Points
Cows fed hay had a significantly higher dry matter intake by 2.4 kg/d compared to those fed grass silage, impacting their performance.
Dairy performance was notably better with hay, yielding 28.1 kg of energy-corrected milk daily versus 25.2 kg for silage.
Chemical analysis revealed the composition differences in nitrogen-free fiber and water-soluble carbohydrates between silage and hay.
The fermentation profile and fecal microbiota showed no significant differences between the two feeding groups, indicating similar digestive conditions.
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Implication
Feeding trial compares silaged and barn-dried forage effects on feed intake and milk yield in dairy cows, suggesting hay may enhance performance.