Partial replacement of grass silage with faba bean whole-crop silage in the diet of dairy cows

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Lamminen M., Kokkonen T., Halmemies-Beauchet-Filleau A., Termonen T., Vanhatalo A. and Jaakkola S.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
Grain legumes are an interesting alternative to grass as cattle forage owing to their nitrogen fixing ability and high biomass production. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a mixture of grass silage and faba bean-spring wheat (Vicia faba – Triticum aestivum) whole-crop silage (FB) on feed intake, nutrient utilization and milk production of dairy cows. Eight multiparous Finnish Ayrshire cows averaging 100 d in milk and producing 45 kg d‑1 milk were used in a replicated 4×4 Latin square study. Experimental treatments consisted of timothy-meadow fescue (Phleum pratense – Festuca pratensis) silage (GS) and a mixture of GS and FB (1:1 on a dry matter (DM) basis). Both forages were fed ad libitum and supplemented with 13 kg d‑1 of concentrate containing 2.0 or 3.5 kg rape seed meal (RSM). The crude protein content of the concentrate was 175 or 200 g kg‑1 DM, respectively. Replacing half of the GS with FB maintained silage DM intake and milk yield despite the lower digestibility of FB silage. Increasing RSM in the diet had no effect on milk yield but significantly decreased milk fat concentration with both forages.