Tannin treated lucerne silage in dairy cow feeding

• Main Authors: Luca Rapetti, Gianluca Galassi, Gianni Matteo Crovetto, Gianni Colombari, Stefania Colombini
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2010-01-01
• Series: Italian Journal of Animal Science
• Subjects: Lucerne silage, Tannins, Milk production
• Online Access: http://www.aspajournal.it/index.php/ijas/article/view/427

The effects of the addition of tannins to lucerne silage were investigated. At ensiling, chestnut hydrolyzable tannins were added to lucerne forage (T=tannins treated lucerne silage vs C=control lucerne silage). Fifty lactating Holstein cows, fed two diets different for lucerne silage treatment (C or T), were used in a cross-over design. In situ rumen soluble protein fraction (%CP) was higher for C (67.9 vs 59.4; P<0.01), whereas potentially rumen degradable protein (%CP) was lower (24.5 vs 32.1 for C and T; P<0.01). Intestinal rumen escape protein digestibility (%) was numerically higher for T (48.3 vs 54.3). Dry matter intake (21.5 kg/d for both diets) and milk yield (29.8 and 30.2 kg/d for C and T) were not affected by dietary treatment, whereas FCM was slightly higher for T diet (27.5 vs 27.9 kg/d for C and T; P<0.10). Adding tannins to lucerne silage is effective in shifting part of N utilization from the rumen to the intestine, leading to similar productive performance in lactating cows.