title: Effect of ammoniated barley silage on ruminal fermentation, nitrogen supply to the small intestine, ruminal and whole tract digestion, and milk production of Holstein cows.
abstract: The effect of ammonia on barley silage fermentation characteristics, and the digestion and utilization of ammoniated barley silage by lactating Holstein cows fed three isonitrogenous diets (14.5% CP, DM basis) were examined. Whole plant barley was chopped and treated with anhydrous ammonia (1%, DM basis) at ensiling. Untreated barley silage was supplemented with either canola meal or urea. Cows were fed complete mixed diets (50% silage and 50% concentrate mixture, DM basis). Addition of ammonia increased total N, water-insoluble N, lactic acid, and pH in silage. Based on the application rate, 77.7% of the added ammonia N was recovered, and increased water-insoluble N was equal to 49.8% of added ammonia N. Addition of ammonia to barley silage increased ruminal concentrations of ammonia and propionate, and supplies of nonammonia N, microbial N, and total N to the small intestine. Ruminal effective degradabilities of DM and CP of barley silage and complete mixed diets, and whole tract digestibility of DM and CP of complete mixed diets were not affected by supplemental N source. Milk yield and milk composition of cows fed the ammoniated barley silage were similar to those of cows fed the diets supplemented with canola meal or urea.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kennelly
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000494:pharmacology; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004063:Digestion; D004435:Eating; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D001467:Hordeum; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism*; D007773:Lactates / Q000032:analysis; D007774:Lactation; D019344:Lactic Acid; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012820:Silage
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid; D000641:Ammonia; D009584:Nitrogen