home    about    browse    search    latest    help 
Login | Create Account

Assessment of dietary ratios of red clover and grass silages on milk production and milk quality in dairy cows

Moorby, J. M.; Lee, M.R.F.; Davies, D.R.; Kim, E.J.; Nute, G.R.; Ellis, N.M. and Scollan, N.D. (2009) Assessment of dietary ratios of red clover and grass silages on milk production and milk quality in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 92, pp. 1148-1160.

[thumbnail of moorby-etal-2009-J_Dairy_Sci_92.pdf] PDF - German/Deutsch
230kB


Summary

Twenty-four multiparous Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square changeover design experiment to test the effects of changing from ryegrass (Lolium perenne) silage to red clover (Trifolium pratense) silage in graded proportions on feed intakes, milk production, milk organoleptic qualities, and whole-body nitrogen partitioning. Four dietary treatments, comprising ad libitum access to 1 of 4 forage mixtures plus a standard allowance of 4 kg/d dairy concentrates, were offered. The 4 forage mixtures were, on a dry matter (DM) basis: 1) 100% grass silage, 2) 66% grass silage: 34% red clover silage, 3) 34% grass silage: 66% red clover silage, and 4) 100% red clover silage. In each of 4 experimental periods, there were 21 d for adaptation to diets and 7 d for measurements.
There was an increase in both DM intakes and milk yields as the proportion of red clover in the diet increased.
However, the increase in milk yield was not as great as the increase in DM intake, so that the efficiency of milk production, in terms of yield (kg) of milk per kg of DM intake, decreased. The concentrations of protein, milk fat, and the shorter chain saturated fatty acids decreased, whereas C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and long-chain PUFA (C20+) increased as the proportion of red clover in the diet increased.
There was little effect of dietary treatment on the organoleptic qualities of milk as assessed by taste panel analysis. There were no effects on the aroma of milk, on aftertaste, or overall liking of the milk. Milk was thicker and creamier in color when cows were fed grass silage compared with red clover silage. The flavor of milk was largely unaffected by dietary treatment. In conclusion, increasing the proportion of red clover in the diet of dairy cows increased feed intakes and milk yields, decreased the concentration of fat and protein in milk, increased PUFA for healthiness, and had little effect on milk organoleptic characteristics.


EPrint Type:Journal paper
Type of presentation:Poster
Keywords:milk fatty acids, nitrogen balance, organoleptic, quality, red clover silage
Subjects: Animal husbandry > Production systems > Dairy cattle
Animal husbandry > Feeding and growth
Research affiliation: UK > Univ. Aberystwyth > Institute for Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)
European Union > QualityLowInputFood > Subproject 4: Livestock production systems
Related Links:http://jds.fass.org/cgi/content/abstract/92/3/1148
Deposited By: Moorby, Dr Jon
ID Code:16016
Deposited On:19 Aug 2009
Last Modified:12 Apr 2010 07:39
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics