Effect of Pistachio - By Products Silage Treated with Urea and Polyethylene Glycol on Holstein Dairy Cow s Performance

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if supplemental polyethylene glycol (PEG) and<br><br>urea affected feed intake and milk production by dairy cows fed a diet containing tannin.<br><br>Eight multiparous Holstein dairy cows averaging 61 ± 23 DIM and 38 ± 3.6 kg of milk<br><br>production were used in a 4 × 4 replicating Latin square design. Fresh pistachio by-products<br><br>(PB)averaging 32% dry matter (DM) were supplemented with PEG and Urea at 1% and 0.5%<br><br>of DM, respectively and then ensiled for 60 days. Experimental treatments were as follows: 1)<br><br>corn silage (15% of diet DM) as a control, substitution of corn silage with: 2) Pistachio-by<br><br>products silage, 3) Pistachio-by products silage supplemented with urea, 4) Pistachio-by<br><br>products silage supplemented with PEG. Feed intake was similar among treatments with the<br><br>average of 26.63 kilogram per day. Milk production (35.5 Kg/d), milk fat (3.76% ), milk<br><br>protein (3.23% ), and milk lactose (4.92% ) remained unchanged between dietary treatments.<br><br>Results of this study show that under our experimental conditions, pistachio by-products<br><br>silage can be substituted with corn silage up to 15% of diet DM in dairy cows ration.