EFFECT OF RECUTTING AND PLANT MATURITY ON KERNEL PASSAGE AND FEEDING VALUE OF CORN SILAGE

In each of two trials, 16 Holstein first-lactation cows were assigned to a Latin-square design for four, five-week feeding periods to compare the intake and milk production response when fed corn silages involving various plant maturities, as reflected by the following values for silage dry matter content and fineness of chopping—Trial I: 22%; 30%; 34% recut 5 cm; and 46%, recut 5 cm, and Trial II: 33%; 33%, recut 5 cm and 2.5 cm; 40%; and 38%, recut 2.5 cm. With silages of higher dry matter content, less silage (as-fed basis) was consumed, but more dry matter was consumed per 100 kg of body weight. Recutting had no significant effect on silage dry matter intake. All silage treatments within trials supported milk production equally well. Steers were used to determine the digestibility of each silage, and kernel passage was determined. Plant maturity had no significant effect on total digestible nutrient or digestible energy of the dry matter of the silages. Recutting the plant before ensiling reduced the amount of kernel dry matter in the feces, but recutting had no significant effect on the total digestible nutrients or digestible energy values of the silages. © 1969, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.