A NOTE ON THE PREFERENCES FOR, AND RATE OF INTAKE OF, GRASS SILAGES BY DAIRY-COWS

The preference for, and rate of, intake of four silages, differing in fermentation characteristics, were evaluated when the silages were off ered simultaneously as the sole diet to five non-lactating dairy cows in an experiment consisting of five 4x4 latin squares. Successive load s of herbage were ensiled untreated (UT), or treated with either formi c acid applied at the rate of 2.7 l/t grass (LF) or 5.7 l/t grass (HF) , or treated with an inoculant enzyme preparation applied at the rate of 2.2 l/t grass (I). Silage preferences followed the order HF, I, LF and UT with corresponding intakes of 8.68, 1.80, 1.51 and 0.41 kg/head /day (s.e. 0.293). Cows had consumed proportionately 0.22, 0.34, 0.42, 0.51 and 0.71 of their total 24-h intakes by 1, 3, 5, 8 and 12 h afte r feeding. It is concluded that cows expressed a marked preference for a restricted fermented silage. The hourly rate of silage intake was g reatest in the first hour after feeding.