Two separate experiments were conducted to compare the nutrient digestion and growth performance of beef cattle fed diets containing up to 77% of two conserved alfalfa hays. The two alfalfa hays were baled either at the optimum moisture (8.6%) or at a higher-than optimum moisture (21.4%) with application of a mixture of Pediococcus pentosaceus and chitinase at baling. Digestibility of dry matter, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, rumen parameters, and growth performance were similar (P ≥ 0.16) for cattle fed either diet. A combination of P. pentosaceus and chitinase has the potential to preserve high-moisture alfalfa hay.
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6 December 2019
High-moisture alfalfa hay conserved with a mixture of Pediococcus pentosaceus and chitinase has a similar feed value to that conserved at optimal moisture
L. Jin,
E. Chevaux,
T. McAllister,
J. Baah,
P. Drouin,
Y. Wang
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beef cattle
chitinase
digestibility
growth performance
high-moisture alfalfa hay
inoculant