The effect of silage making technology on production and quality of milk

摘要

Two silage making technologies were compared using first and second cut timothy-meadow fescue silages in 2003 and 2004. For conventional silage (CS) grass was mown in windrows, wilted for 2-20 h, harvested with precision-chop harvester, treated with formic acid and stored in bunker silo. For round baled silage (BS) grass was mown into a full width swath, wilted for 24-59 h, windrowed, baled without additive, and wrapped. In both years sixteen cows were used in a repeated Latin square experiment witha 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments to evaluate the effects of silage making technology (CS and BS) and cutting time (first and second cut) on milk yield, milk composition, organoleptic quality and renneting properties. In 2004 when weather conditions during harvesting were unfavourable, the use of BS reduced silage intake and subsequently decreased milk yield as compared to CS. However, no adverse effects on milk quality were observed. In 2003 the harvesting conditions were good, and no significant differences in milk production were observed between the technologies.