1. Full-fat corn germ improves the performance and milk fat yield of Girolando cows fed sugarcane bagasse and cactus cladodes as forage sources.
- Author
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da Silva CS, da Gama MAS, Silva EAM, Ribeiro EF, Felix SB, Monteiro CCF, Mora-Luna RE, de Oliveira JCV, Dos Santos DC, and de Ferreira MA
- Subjects
- Female, Cattle, Animals, Milk metabolism, Cellulose metabolism, Zea mays, Lactation, Diet veterinary, Dietary Carbohydrates metabolism, Digestion, Rumen metabolism, Silage analysis, Saccharum, Cactaceae
- Abstract
We investigated the effects of replacing ground corn with full-fat corn germ (FFCG) on milk production, milk composition, and nutrient use in cows fed sugarcane bagasse and cactus cladodes. Ten multiparous Girolando cows (average body weight 500 ± 66 kg, 90 ± 15 days in milk) were distributed in a replicated 5 × 5 Latin Square and assigned to five dietary treatments containing 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of full-fat corn germ in substitution to ground corn. Full-fat corn germ increased fat-corrected milk yield by 2.2 kg/day and the synthesis of fat, lactose, and total solids in milk by 94.4, 60.0, and 201.10 g/day, respectively (p < 0.05). Cows fed corn germ quadratically increased (p < 0.05) dry matter intake by 1.01 kg/day, with the intake of crude protein and total digestible nutrients following the same pattern. Conversely, the substitution of corn for full-fat corn germ linearly reduced (p < 0.05) the total non-fiber carbohydrate intake from 5.79 to 4.40 kg/d. Except for ether extract and non-fiber carbohydrates, full-fat corn germ did not alter (p > 0.05) nutrient digestibility. Cows fed corn germ excreted less (p < 0.05) urea-N in milk and urine N. These results demonstrate that full-fat corn germ can partially replace ground corn to enhance the milk production efficiency of crossbred cows fed cactus cladodes and sugarcane bagasse. Furthermore, including sugarcane bagasse in FFCG-supplemented diets prevents milk fat depression in cows fed cactus cladodes., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)
- Published
- 2024
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