Brown midrib @entity4336 shredlage in diets for high-producing dairy XXXX .

@entity4336 @entity291 @entity6155
UNASSIGNED: A novel method of harvesting whole-plant @entity4336 silage, shredlage, may increase kernel processing and physically effective fiber. Improved fiber effectiveness may be especially advantageous when feeding brown midrib (BMR) @entity4336 hybrids, which have reduced lignin content. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding TMR containing BMR @entity4336 shredlage (SHRD) compared with BMR conventionally processed @entity4336 silage (KP) or KP plus chopped alfalfa hay (KPH) on intake, lactation performance, and total-tract nutrient digestibility in dairy @entity291 . The KP was harvested using conventional rolls (2-mm gap) and the self-propelled forage harvester set at 19 mm of theoretical length of cut, whereas SHRD was harvested using novel cross-grooved rolls (2-mm gap) and the self-propelled forage harvester set at 26 mm of theoretical length of cut. Holstein @entity291 (n = 120; 81    8 d in @entity6155 at trial initiation), stratified by parity, days in @entity6155 , and @entity6155 yield, were randomly assigned to 15 pens of 8 @entity291 each. Pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment diets, SHRD, KP, or KPH, in a completely randomized design using a 2-wk covariate period with @entity291 fed a common diet followed by a 14-wk treatment period with @entity291 fed their assigned treatment diet. The TMR contained (dry matter basis) KP or SHRD forages (45%), alfalfa silage (10%), and a concentrate mixture (45%). Hay replaced 10% of KP silage in the KPH treatment TMR (dry matter basis). @entity6155 , protein, and lactose yields were 3.4, 0.08, and 0.16 kg/d greater, respectively, for @entity291 fed KP and SHRD than KPH. A week by treatment interaction was detected for @entity6155 yield, such that @entity291 fed SHRD produced or tended to produce 1.5 kg/d per @entity291 more @entity6155 , on average, than @entity291 fed KP during 6 of the 14 treatment weeks. Component-corrected @entity6155 yields were similar among treatments. @entity291 fed KPH had greater @entity6155 fat concentration than @entity291 fed KP and SHRD (3.67 vs. 3.30% on average). Consumption of dry matter, rumination activity, and sorting behavior were similar among treatments. Ruminal in situ starch digestibility was greater for SHRD than KP forages, and total-tract dietary starch digestibility was greater for SHRD than KP. @entity6155 yield and starch digestibility were greater for SHRD than KP. Lack of improvement in @entity6155 fat content and rumination activity for SHRD compared with KP and reduced @entity6155 fat content for SHRD compared with KPH, however, suggest no improvement in physically effective fiber from the longer theoretical length of cut used with SHRD in a BMR hybrid.
