Coastal Bermudagrass as Pellets and Silage Compared to Oats-Ryegrass-Crimson Clover, Sudangrass, and Corn Silages with High and Low Grain Levels for Lactating Cows

Abstract

High quality Coastal Bermudagrass pellets plus a limited amount of baled hay were compared with direct-cut silages made from a) Coastal Bermudagrass; b) Tift Sudangrass; c) oats, ryegrass, and crimson clover (O-R-C) ; and d) corn, in experiments with 48 lactating cows. Except for the corn, the silages were ensiled with addition of ground corn grain. Each forage was fed with a high and a low grain level. Cows fed the Coastal pellets consumed more forage dry matter than those given any silage, and produced more milk and FCM than those given the O-R-C silage. Differences in the SNF content of milk due to forages fed were not significant, but protein content was higher in milk from cows fed Coastal pellets than from those given O-R-C silage. The forage dry matter intake per kg of milk was much higher for cows fed pellets than for those fed any of the silages. Cows fed the higher grain level (1 kg of grain per 2 kg of FCM) produced more milk and FCM, and ate less forage dry matter than those fed a 1 to 4 ratio. On an average, each additional kg of concentrate dry matter increased milk by 0.46 kg and FCM 0.48 kg, but decreased forage dry matter intake 0.28 kg. Feeding the higher grain level resulted in a small but significant increase in SNF content of milk. Each of the forages appears to be satisfactory for dairy cows with the choice depending predominantly on economic and other bases. © 1967, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.