Effect of Feeding Different Ratios of Roughage to Concentrate upon Milk Production and Digestibility of the Ration

Abstract

A randomized block design was used to study the productive and digestive efficiency of cows consuming rations containing 80, 60, and 40% dry matter from roughage and the balance from concentrates. Twelve animals were used and the experimental period was 112 days in length. Digestibility trials, involving total fecal collections, were conducted at about the 10th and 20th wk. of lactation. In addition, eight dry cows were used for obtaining digestibility values on the roughage portion of the ration.