Effect of crop type and processing on the in sacco dry matter degradability of alkali-preserved whole-crop cereals in dairy cows

Little information is available on the dry matter degradability of whole-crop cereals and their components (Hill and Leaver 1994). In this experiment, the in sacco degradability of the DM of four cereal crops was determined, and the effect of physical alteration of whole-crops and their component parts was investigated.Winter sown crops of wheat (var.Riband) and barley (var.Marinka) and spring sown crops of wheat (var.Axona) and barley (var.Tyne) were cut at the “hard dough” stage of crop maturity and preserved with urea at 40 g kgDM-1 in plastic silos. The in sacco DM degradability of samples of these crops was determined in two fistulated dairy cows (Jerseys, mean liveweight 450 kg) using the method of Paine, Crawshaw and Barber (1982). The cows were fed alfalfa cubes (16% protein) and meadow grass hay, each at 3 kg d-1, and had continuous access to water.