Effect of Ration Moisture Level on Value of Alfalfa Plus Cracked Corn as a Complete-Feed Silage for Lactating Cows

Twelve Holstein cows were used in a switch-back design to compare the ad libitmn feeding of complete-feed silages containing 68% (H), 53% (M), and 47% (L) moisture.The silages were composed of field-wilted alfalfa and cracked corn added at the time of ensiling to constitute about 50% of the total dry matter.The different moisture levels of silage were obtained by varying ~he period of field wilting.Cows in one block of the two-block design received an alfalfa-corn pellet supplement.The other block received no pellets.In addition, cows received only water and minerals.Performance differed significantly for (H), (M), and (L) silages in: daily milk yield, 49.3, 53.0, and 53.1 lb, milk fat, 3.73, 3.43, and 3.31%; daily dry matter intake, 32.9, 38.9, and 40.0 lb; and feed efficiency, .40,.65,and .72 megcal digestible energy per pound of 4% FCM.Dry matter digestibility, energy digestibility, and daily FCM yields averaged 68.2%, 67.8%, and 47.8 lb, respectively, but did not differ significantly among silage moisture levels.The supplemental pellets significantly increased milk yield from 48.6 to 55.1 ]b/day and decreased fat per cent from 3.75 to 3.24%, but did not significantly affect FCM, dry nmtter intake, or digestibility.These results suggest that a complete-feed silage has practical potential, especially for mechanized group-feeding operations.