The effect of replacing corn silage with barley silage on production performance, blood and rumen parameters and apparent digestibility of Holstein cattle

The aim of this study two-hundred Holstein dairy cows were selected and used in 4 free stall barn in a completely randomized rotating design. Sixty cows (30 cows per pen) of selected animals with the same characteristics (DIM: 180 ±15, average milk production 49±5, lactation number 2.95) were used for blood and milk sampling. Experimental treatments include control diet (diet 1) based on corn silage and experimental diet (diet 2) replacing 5% of corn silage with barley silage. The results showed that if barley silage is replaced at 5% level with corn silage so that other nutrients in the diet do not change significantly, it had no significant effect on milk production and composition, however, it significantly reduced (p <0.05) the feed intake in the experimental group that received barley silage. In addition, experimental treatments caused a significant increase in blood urea compared to the control group. Replacing barley silage at 5% level with corn silage also significantly increased the percentage of ruminal propionic acid, and had no significant effect on other ruminal parameters. Barely silage also increased the apparent digestibility of dry matter, protein and neutral and acidic detergent fiber. The results of this study showed that barley silage can be replaced with corn silage at the level of 5% without negatively affecting production performance.