Effects of Silage Based Diets on Feed Intake, Milk Production, and Body Weight of Dairy Cows

Abstract

Dairy cattle were assigned uniformly to three forage treatments by lactation number (mean --2.2) to compare intake, production, and body weight changes over three lactations. Forage treatments were corn silage ad libitum, corn silage restricted plus hay-crop silage, or hay ad libitum. Concentrate treatments, two prepartum and two peak-lactation, were evaluated also. Intakes for the three forage treatments were similar for concentrate, forage, and total dry matter intake. The four concentrate treatments had no consistent effects upon measures of intake. Milk production did not differ significantly among forage treatments. Changes of body weight were similar.