Use of high moisture corn silage replacing dry corn on intake, apparent digestibility, production and composition of milk of dairy goats

Abstract

Twenty primiparous and multiparous Alpine breed goats at approximately 80 days of lactation were used in this experiment. The animals were housed individually in metal cages and distributed according to milk production in five 4 × 4 Latin squares. The experimental diets used in the experiment presented concentrate:forage ratio of 65:35. The treatments were characterized by increasing levels of 0, 33, 67 and 100% of high moisture corn silage (HMCS) replacing corn dry grain (CDG). Average intake of DM (1.62 kg/day, 3.90 % BW), CP (0.22 kg/day), NFC (0.76 kg/day) and TDN (1.29 kg/day) were not influenced by levels of HMCS. However, intake of NDF (0.53 kg/day) was significant for the different level of HMCS. Daily milk production and production of milk correct at 3.5% of fat, feed efficiency (MP/DMI), fat percentage, protein, lactose, total solids and milk urea nitrogen, with means of 1.86; 1.69; 1.11; 2.96; 2.85; 4.36; 10.96 and 17.1, respectively, were not influenced by the levels of HMCS. Percentage of non fat solids (8.00%) was affected by replacing levels of HMCS. The use of high moisture corn silage in the diet does not change milk production and it can be applied in total or partial substitution to dry corn grain in the feeding of milk goats.