Effects of alfalfa and corn silage particle size on feed intake, rumen digestion parameters and chewing activity in pregnant Sangsari ewes

This study investigated the effects of alfalfa hay and corn silage particle size on chewing activity, passage rate of solid fraction in the rumen and performance of pregnant ewes. The experiment has been done using 30 ewes (35±0.4 months) in a completely randomized design with five treatments and six replicates during a 30 days period. Forages were including alfalfa hay (three sizes, geometric mean 2.42, 4.91 and 7.04 mm) and corn silage (two sizes, geometric mean 3.36 and 7.73 mm). Treatments including fine particles of alfalfa hay and corn silage had the least physical effectiveness factor (pef > 8) and pef values (pef >8, pef >1.18) were reduced with decrease in particle size (p