Responses of Sheep and Dairy Cows to Propionic Acid Treatment of Alfalfa Haylage Fed with or without Corn Silage
Year: 1979
Type: article
Abstract: Addition of 1% proprionate to alfalfa at ensiling reduced top spoilage, loss of dry matter, and soluble nitrogen.Most (97 to 98%) of the water soluble nitrogen after ensiling was nonprotein nitrogen regardless of treatment.Temperatures, digestibilities of dry matter and nitrogen, and nitrogen balances were not affected by propionate addition.More heating in tops of silos reduced nitrogen digestibility of this forage but did not affect digestibility of dry matter.Addition of propionate improved digestibility of haylage in the top portion of the silo.Lactating cows consumed more total dry matter in one trial but not in the other when they were fed propionate-treated haylage.There was no difference in production of milk, milk fat, or fat-corrected milk except in one trial where propionate treatment of haylage reduced fat production.Addition of corn silage to haylage rations did not improve milk yield or consumption of dry matter.When good quality haylage is available, no benefit is obtained from propionate treatment or addition of corn silage to rations.
Source: Journal of Dairy Science
Authors: C.C. Stallings, R.K. McGuffey, T.R. Middleton, J.W. Thomas
Institutions: South Dakota State University, Michigan State University
Language: English
Subfield: Animal Science and Zoology
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: National Institutes of Health
OpenAlex ID: W2170233076