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Effect of straw quality and ammonia treatment on voluntary intake, milk yield and degradation characteristics of faecal fibre

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

E. R. Ørskov ,
C. A. G. Tait ,
G. W. Reid  and
G. Flachowski
E. R. Ørskov
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
C. A. G. Tait
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
G. W. Reid
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
G. Flachowski
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
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Abstract

Thirty-two Friesian cows in early lactation were given one of tour completely mixed diets based on equal proportions of barley straw and concentrate. Two varieties of barley straws had been identified as varying in degradation characteristics (Corgi and Gerbel) and the straws were either given untreated or treated with anhydrous ammonia. The ad libitum intake for 10 weeks closely reflected degradation characteristics. For Corgi, treated and untreated and Gerbel, treated and untreated the 48·h degradabilities were 71·9, 66·8, 61·9 and 52·2 (g/100 g) respectively. The voluntary intakes of dry matter were 17·1, 14·8, 15·0 and 13·1 (s.e. 0·51) kg/day and average yields of fat-corrected milk for 10 weeks were 26·7, 21·5, 22·6 and 22·4 (s.e. 1·0) kg/day respectively.

It was calculated that the differences between actual digestibility and potential degradability were greatest for ammonia-treated straws. Also it was observed that the degradability of faecal dry matter was greater from animals given ammonia-treated straws.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 46 , Issue 1 , February 1988 , pp. 23 - 27
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1988

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References

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