Potenital forage resources as alternatives to partial or total substitution of corn silage in dairy cattle nutrition

Alemayehu, Worku (2019) Potenital forage resources as alternatives to partial or total substitution of corn silage in dairy cattle nutrition. ÁLLATTENYÉSZTÉS ÉS TAKARMÁNYOZÁS, 68 (2). pp. 109-127. ISSN 0230-1814

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Abstract

Corn silage is a common ingredient of dairy rations in most areas of the World, particularly in Europe and North America. The widespread use of corn silage implies that it has certain competitive advantages over other forages. However, currently there are some difficulties in corn cultivation (i.e., groundwater shortages, mycotoxin contamination), which have been forced dairy farmers to consider other optional forages. The safety yield of corn silage might be compromised in the future, if the expected climate change in Europe and Hungary will be characterized by the increase summer heat waves and the more extreme water course. Factors, such as competition for corn among livestock sectors, significant increase of corn for human consumption and industrial uses will eventually force farmers, producers, researchers and policy makers to find optional forages for corn silage in dairy farms. Therefore, it would be urgent to consider how crop production and feeding strategies can be adapted to this change in long term, taking into account the nutrient requirements of the high producing dairy cows. Therefore, finding and routine application of relevant optional forages is considered absolutely necessary to the success of future dairy operations. However, it could be difficult the total replacement of corn silage particularly for high producing dairy cows due to superior starch and energy content, digestibility and very good ensiling ability of corn. The purpose of this review is to summarize the literature focusing on the field crops (novel corn hybrids, sorghum forage, corn-sorghum mixtures, winter-type early harvested cereals, Italian ryegrass, winter cereal-legume mixtures, winter cereal-grass mixtures) which may be a viable option to corn silage in dairy nutrition.

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