EFFECTS OF WHOLE-PLANT MAIZE SILAGE HARVE ST DATE ON KINETICS OF DISAPPEARANCE OF THE SILAGE COMPONENTS AND OF SOME OTHER FEEDSTUFFS

Three maize silages differing in stage of maturity (cut 1: 25.1% dry m atter (DM); cut 2: 29.8% DM and cut 3: 32.3%) were offered to 6 rumen- fistulated bulls. For 10 different feedstuffs compared, except for bar ley, DM disappearance in the rumen measured in sacco at time to and fo r the short incubation times was higher when cut 1 was offered. DM dis appearance of grain cut 1 was higher than that of the 2 other cuts; op posite findings were observed for the stalks and leaves. The concentra tion of volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid was higher in cut 1.