Replacing corn silage with fodder beet silage: Impacts on intake, digestibility, and milk production in lactating dairy cows

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Animal Science Research Institute of Iran, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, I. R. Iran

Abstract

Due to the negative effects of climate change on forage production, this research was conducted to assess the effects of replacing corn silage (CS) with fodder beet (FB) silage (a drought-tolerant forage crop harvested in autumn) on dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility, and milk production in dairy cattle. Ten multiparous dairy cows (Holstein × Simmental) were assigned to a completely randomized design (CRD) with a changeover system. The experimental diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isonitrogenous, and animals had free access to water. Dietary inclusion of FB decreased dry matter intake as well as the consumption of other nutrients. The inclusion of FB in forage improved the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein. Although neutral detergent fiber digestibility was numerically lower, the difference was not significant. Substituting CS with FB silage increased milk yield, milk protein percentage, and lactose content. However, it decreased milk fat concentration. In conclusion, we showed that replacing 25% of CS with FB decreased feed intake, but the higher nutrient digestibility in the FB diet improved milk yield in dairy cows.

Graphical Abstract

Replacing corn silage with fodder beet silage: Impacts on intake, digestibility, and milk production in lactating dairy cows

Keywords

References

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Iran Agricultural Research
Volume 45, Issue 1
2026
Pages 127-133

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