Comparison of nutrient composition, production costs and greenhouse gases emission in the production of corn silage and alfalfa hay in dairy industry

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the consumption of inputs, the production costs, the nutrient composition, the performance, and the greenhouse gases emission during the corn silage and alfalfa hay production in the dairy industry of Iran. Hereupon, the input costs and the quality of the nutrients in the forage production were analyzed in 42 agri-industries. The harvested crops of alfalfa hay and corn silage were calculated as 7283.49 and 14256.00 kg of dry matter per hectare, respectively. The production: cost ratios in the alfalfa hay and corn silage productions were 0.227 and 0.327 kg per 1000 Rials, respectively. The calculated production costs per kg of dry matter for alfalfa hay and corn silage were 4413.62 and 3060.79 Rials, respectively. The cost-price of the energy types (i.e. net energy for lactation at three times maintenance, net energy for lactation at four times maintenance) for alfalfa hay was greater than corn silage. The production income of corn silage was greater than the alfalfa hay. The produced crude protein and the different energy types per hectare were greater for corn silage. The greenhouse gases emission per kg of dry matter, a mega calorie of net energy for lactation at three times maintenance, and a mega calorie of net energy for lactation at four times maintenance of the corn silage production were lower than alfalfa hay production. According to the results, the corn silage production was more profitable than alfalfa hay production