Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T02:17:04.818Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Preliminary studies on the effect of flavouring agents on the dry-matter intake of silage by lactating dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. F. Weller
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Church Lane, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AQ
R. H. Phipps
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Church Lane, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AQ

Summary

In two trials the effect on D.M. intake of applying flavouring agents to grass silage at feeding time was examined using a total of 89 British Friesian cows in mid to late lactation. The flavouring agent used in Expt 1 was Simax 100 (5 ml/cow per day), while in Expt 2 Palatol (20 ml/cow per day), molasses (0·7 kg D.M./cow per day) and molasses + Talin (0·7 kg D.M./cow per day) were added to both lowand high-quality grass silage.

Both Simax (significantly) and Palatol increased silage D.M. intake by an average 0·67 kg/day. The total D.M. intake of the cows fed the molasses and molasses + Talin was similar to that obtained by those receiving the silage treated with Simax and Palatol. However, in the case of the cows receiving the molasses and molasses + Talin, the increased D.M. intake was obtained mainly from the additional molasses and not by an increased silage intake. This result indicates a very low substitution rate for molasses.

Although D.M. intake was increased by the addition of flavouring agents, milk production remained unaltered because of the relatively late stage of lactation of the cows in both trials.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barry, T. N., Cook, J. E. & Wilkins, R.J. (1978). The influence of formic acid and formaldehyde additives and type of harvesting machine on the utilization of nitrogen in lucerne silages. 1. The voluntary intake and nitrogen retention of young sheep consuming the silages with and without intraperitoneal supplements of DL-methionine. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 91, 701715.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dow, J. K. D. (1959). The sense of taste in domesticated animals. Veterinary Record 11, 10711081.Google Scholar
Forbes, J. M. (1986). Voluntary intake. In Principles and Practice of Feeding Dairy Cows (ed. Broster, W. H., Phipps, R. H. and Johnson, C. L.), pp. 1124. Reading: National Institute for Research in Dairying.Google Scholar
Greenhalgh, J. F. D. & Reid, G. W. (1967). Separating the effects of digestibility and palatability on food intake in ruminant animals. Nature 214, 744.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keal, H. D. (1984). Feed flavour. In National Institute for Research in Dairying – Final Report 1984–85. Reading: National Institute for Research in Dairying.Google Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. (1955). Statistical Methods, 4th edn, pp. 421423. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.Google Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. & Cochran, W. G. (1973). Statistical Methods, 6th edn, pp. 346349. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.Google Scholar
Thomas, C. (1980). Conserved forages. In Feeding Strategies for Dairy Cows (ed. Broster, W. H., Johnson, C. L. and Tayler, J. C.), pp. 8.18.14. London: Agricultural and Food Research Council.Google Scholar
Thomas, P. C. & Chamberlain, D. G. (1982). Silage as a foodstuff. In Silage for Milk Production, Technical Bulletin No. 2. Reading: National Institute for Research in Dairying.Google Scholar