Measurement of dry matter intake of dry jersey cows on hay and silage alone and in combination : thesis submitted ... for the Animal Husbandry section of the M. Agr. Sc. examination

Abstract

In the provision of an adequate supply of nutrients to dairy cows, primary consideration must be given to the capacity or appetite of the animals for the food offered. This is due to the fact that appetite, measured in terms of dry matter intake per day, limits the quantity of food (dry matter) that a cow consumes. In feeding bulky roughages to dairy cows, appetite is an important factor to be considered. Bulky roughage such as hay has a low nutrient content whereas silage is both low in nutrients and dry matter, when compared with concentrated foods.