Sunflower and corn silages in lactating cow diets:: intake and digestibility

The intake and the apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and the intake of crude protein were evaluated in lactating Holstein cows fed sunflower silage (SS) in replacement of corn silage (CS) in their diets. Five ruminal cannulated cows, 60 to 82 days in milk, were arranged in a 5 x 5 latin square design. The treatments werethe following: 100% corn silage (100CS) and concentrate; 34% sunflower silage plus 66% corn silage (34SS) and concentrate,66% sunflower silage plus 34% corn silage (66SS) and concentrate; 100% sunflower silage (100SS) and concentrate;and 100% corn silage plus whole cotton seed (CS-WCS) and concentrate. Dry matter (17.86kg for 100SS and 21.62kg for 100CS) and organic matter intake (17.5 kg for 100SS and 20.2 kg for 100CS), intake and apparent digestibility of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber were lower for 100SS compared to 100CS (P < 0.05). Apparent digestibility of organic matter for treatment 100SS was the lowest (54.8%). Increasing levels of corn silage in the diets increased the dry matter intake, the organic matter intake and the apparent digestibility. Parcial replacement of the corn silage with sunflower silage could be a viable option for lactating cows diets.