Improving productive efficiency of lactating buffaloes fed whole corn silage.

Sixteen lactating buffaloes weighed 600 kg in average and in mid-lactation period, were selected according to its lactation season (2 and 3 lactation seasons) and milk yield to study the effect of replacing nd rd whole clover and/or a part of concentrate feed mixture (CFM) with whole corn silage without or with some additives (yeast culture or chelated minerals) in dairy buffaloes rations on the performance of milk production. Animals were randomly assigned to four groups (four animals each) to evaluate the impact of feeding tested rations for three months on the milk production efficiency. Whole corn plants were chopped (1-1.5 cm) and ensiled in double-layer bags (150x75 cm) for 60 days. Chemical changes in silage during fermentation period were determined biweekly. The experimental rations were: G1 (control): 30 kg clover (5 % of live body weight) + CFM (1kg /1kg milk) + rice straw (ad lib.). G2: 15 kg whole corn silage (1 Kg silage = 2 Kg clover) + CFM (1kg /1kg milk) + rice straw (ad lib.). G3: 15 kg whole corn silage + CFM (0.75 kg /1 kg milk) + rice straw (ad lib.) + 15 g yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) /h. /d. G4: 15 kg whole corn silage + CFM (0.75 kg /1 kg milk) + rice straw (ad lib.) +10 cm biophos, (commercial 3 product as a source of chelated minerals) / 1L drinking water. Data indicated that silage reached pH 4 after 45 days fermentation period so, it could be suitable for practical feeding. The highest nutrient digestibilities were observed in animals fed G3 followed by those fed G4, G2 and then G1. The highest nutritive value as TDN was observed with G3 (70.91%) compared to 59.65, 65.21 and 67.95 for G1, G2 and G4, respectively. There was a significant increase in milk yield by 22.4 and 14.5% for G3 and G4 compared with G1, while, there was no significant difference between G1 and G2. The same trend was observed for fat, crude protein and solids not fat but these differences were not significant. So, it could be concluded that whole corn silage with either yeast or chleated minerals may replaced the all of clover and a part of concentrate feed mixture in dairy buffaloes rations.1