Symposium on Forage Utilization: Nutritive Value of Forage as Affected by Physical Form. Part I. General Principles Involved with Ruminants and Effect of Feeding Pelleted or Wafered Forage to Dairy Cattle

Abstract

Effects of Pelleting Compared to Chopped or Long Forage Time of prehension and mastication reduced. Saliva secretion probably reduced. Decrease in rumination. Increase in rate of fermentation in the rumen. Increase in concentration of rumen VFA one to four hours after feeding. Decrease in ratio of acetate to propionate in the rumen. Decrease in pH in the rumen. Increased rate of digestion in the rumen. Increased rate of passage of feed particles from the rumen. Decrease in dry matter and crude fiber digestibility usually but not always observed. No difference in net energy values at equalized intake. Increased dry matter intake. Grinding of forage responsible for effects of pelleting. Increased acceptability of finely ground and pelleted forage. The finer the grinding the greater the effect of pelleting. Variation of fineness of grinding probably accounts for variable results (digestibility) reported in the literature. The feeding value of poor quality forage is increased more by pelleting than good quality forage. The feeding of some long hay along with a pelleted ration appears to be advantageous. Feeding Pellets and Wafers to Dairy Animals Compared to Chopped or Long Forage Pelleting an all hay ration results in an increased intake of dry matter and increased milk production. Addition of concentrates to the pellets or feeding concentrates with the pelleted forage causes the differences in milk production to disappear. The feeding of ground or pelleted forage results in a decrease in fat percent of the milk probably related to a lower proportion acetate to propionate in the rumen. Feeding pelleted forage to dairy calves increases dry matter intake and rate of growth. There is a lack of agreement in the literature on the effects of feeding wafers.