<b>Microbial inoculation of alfalfa haylage on dairy cows apparent diet digestibility</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v25i1.2162

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of microbially inoculated alfalfa haylage on apparent diet digestibility in twelve dairy cows. A cross-over design with two periods of sampling was used. Diets contained 50% of concentrate and 50% of alfalfa haylage (50.0% DM and 16.5% CP) control or microbially inoculated with Silobac^&reg: product (Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus). Each experimental period extended for twenty-one days and the last five days were used for feces sampling. The inoculation increased the apparent digestibility of DM (inoculated = 81.7 vs. control = 74.2%), CP (83.1 vs. 74.6%), EE (90.1 vs. 81.7%), NFE (84.1 vs. 78.7%), CF (74.8 vs. 61.9%), NDF (70.0 vs. 58.0%), ADF (75.2 vs. 63.9%), GE (82.4 vs. 74.7%) and TDN (80.5 vs. 73.3%) compared to control. However, it neither influenced digestible DMI (14.5 vs. 13.3kg/animal/day or 2.67 vs. 2.46% of BW), nor TDN (14.3 vs. 13.2kg/animal/day or 2.63 vs. 2.43% of BW).