U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Cell Wall Biology and Utilization Research: Madison, WI
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    CareersSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Midwest Area Madison, Wisconsin U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center Cell Wall Biology and Utilization Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            COOK, DAVID - University Of Wisconsinitem
                                            COMBS, DAVID - University Of Wisconsinitem
                                            DOANE, PERRY - Archer Daniels Midlanditem
                                            CECAVA, MICHAEL - Archer Daniels Midlanditem
                                            Hall, Mary Beth
  Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 3/21/2016
                                    Publication  Date: 8/1/2016
                                    Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62817Citation: Cook, D.E., Combs, D.K., Doane, P.H., Cecava, M.J., Hall, M. 2016. The effects on digestibility and ruminal measures of chemically treated corn stover as a partial replacement for grain in dairy diets. Journal of Dairy Science. 99:6342-6351.Interpretive Summary: Corn stover is an abundant agricultural residue that, due to its poor digestibility, has minimal utilization beyond a soil amendment and livestock bedding. Chemical treatments of grass straws have been shown to improve fiber digestibility. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of partial replacement of corn grain with corn stover which was treated with calcium oxide to enhance fiber digestibility. As stover inclusion increased, total tract digestion of fiber did not change, the value of the lowest rumen pH increased, but feed intake and milk production decreased. The maintenance of fiber digestibility was not enough to counterbalance the removal of digestible nutrients from corn grain from negatively affecting lactation performance. Although other studies have suggested no negative performance effects of substituting calcium oxide-treated stover for forage, results of the present study recommend against use of treated stover as a replacement for corn grain for lactating dairy cows. This information will be useful to dairy producers and their nutritionists when considering what alternative feedstuffs can be used.
                                Technical Abstract: Alkaline treatment of gramineous crop residues can convert an abundant, minimally utilized, but poorly digestible straw into a moderately digestible feedstuff. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in digestibility and ruminal effects when calcium oxide-treated corn stover was substituted for corn grain in diets for lactating cows. Mature corn stover was treated with calcium oxide at a level of 50 g/kg of dry matter (DM) and brought up to a moisture content (MC) of 50% following bale grinding, and stored anaerobically at ambient temperatures for greater than 60 d prior to the feeding experiment. Eight Holstein cows were enrolled in a replicated 4x4 Latin square, where treated stover replaced corn grain on a dry mass for mass basis in the ration, at rates of 0, 40, 80, and 120 g/kg DM. With increasing stover replacement, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration in the diets increased, rumen NDF turnover was not affected, and DM intake declined linearly. NDF digestibility was not affected by stover inclusion, nor were changes in NDF passage rate or the rate of digestion of potentially digestible NDF detected. Milk, fat, and protein yields declined linearly as DM intake declined. Rumen nadir pH increased linearly from 5.83 to 5.94 with stover replacement. Mole amounts of acetate, propionate, and butyrate were not affected by treatment. Treatment did not affect time spent laying, standing, eating, and ruminating. In conclusion, replacement of corn grain with calcium oxide-treated stover did not affect fiber digestibility or ruminal kinetics, but did result in reduced intake and milk production.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov