Growth performance, appetite and plasma ammonia concentrations in heifers fed inoculated lucerne prior to ensilage, then supplemented with sodium bicarbonate |
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Authors: | L E PHILLIP L UNDERHILL H GARINO |
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Institution: | Department of Animal Science, Macdonald College, Quebec, Canada |
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Abstract: | A study was conducted to explore the possibility of a synergistic effect of an inoculum of lactic acid bacteria and sodium bicarbonate in improving the nutritive value of lucerne silage. Twenty Holstein heifers (live weight 183 ± 9·4 kg) were assigned to four dietary treatments consisting of: lucerne uninoculated or inoculated prior to ensilage and then either unsupplemented or supplemented with NaHCO3 (40 g kg−1 dry matter (DM)). The lucerne silage contained 320 g kg−1 DM and constituted 600 kg−1 diet DM. The animals were fed once daily for 90 d and samples of jugular blood were analysed for plasma ammonia and indices of blood acid-base status. Inoculation of Lucerne reduced ( P <0·01) silage pH but had no other effect on silage composition. In the absence of NaHCO3, liveweight gain and organic matter intake were improved by inoculating lucerne prior to ensilage; however, in the presence of NaHCO3, inoculation reduced growth rate but had no major effect on intake. Dietary treatment did not (P>0·05) affect the concentration of plasma ammonia or measures bf blood acid-base status. The results suggest that NaHCO3 may have nullifled any potential benefit of inoculating lucerne silage to improve its nutritive value for heifers. |
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