Dairy cattle waste fiber, collected with a liquid-solid separator, was evaluated as a source of roughage for dairy heifers. Fresh dairy waste fiber (28% dry matter) constituted 0, 15, and 30% of the ration dry matter when mixed with whole chopped corn plant (47% dry matter). All silages fermented well as evidenced by pH, lactic acid concentrations, and palatability. Heifers were fed all diets ad libiturn. Increasing dietary dairy waste fiber from 15 to 30% increased intakes and decreased digestibilities of dry matter. Feeding corn silage ensiled with dairy waste fiber at 0 to 15% dry matter produced no significant differences in intake of dry matter or digestibilities of crude protein, hemicellulose, or cellulose by heifers. Increasing the dairy waste fiber from 15 to 30% dry matter caused a significant reduction in digestibilities of crude protein and cellulose (dry matter). Additions of dairy waste fiber to corn silage did not affect nitrogenous components of serum, cholesterol, bilirubin, selected liver enzymes, or serum minerals in dairy heifers.
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Jaster et al. (1982) studied this question.
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