Performance of lactating dairy cows fed alfalfa haylage treated with bacterial inoculants at the time of ensilation (1996)

Authors

Michael V. Scheffel
R.K. Scoby
John E. Shirley

Keywords

Dairy Day, 1996; Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station contribution; no. 97-115-S; Report of progress (Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service); 771; Lactating cows; Alfalfa haylage; Inoculant

Abstract

Sixty Holstein cows averaging 65 days in milk at the initiation of a 13-week study were used to evaluate three alfalfa haylages. Haylages were treated at the time of ensilation with either a Pioneer experimental inoculant (Treatment A), no inoculant (Treatment B), or Pioneer brand 1174® inoculant (Treatment C). Cows fed A had greater peak yields and tended to produce more milk than cows fed B and C. Milk fat percentages were 3.7, 3.66, and 3.59 for A, B, and C, respectively. Greater milk yield and butterfat percentage translated into higher (P<.05) daily fat production by cows fed A compared to C but not B.; Dairy Day, 1996, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 1996;

Recommended Citation

Scheffel, Michael V.; Scoby, R.K.; and Shirley, John E. (1996) "Performance of lactating dairy cows fed alfalfa haylage treated with bacterial inoculants at the time of ensilation (1996)," Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: Vol. 0: Iss. 2. https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.3268