Effects of corn grain endosperm type and fineness of grind on feed intake, feeding behavior, and productive performance of lactating dairy cows

in body weight or body condition score or efficiency of milk production (kg of 3.5% fat-corrected milk/kg of DMI). Mean ruminal pH was not affected by treatment, but pH variance was decreased by vitreous compared with floury corn. Total volatile fatty acids and propionate concentrations in the rumen were increased by floury compared with vitreous corn but were not affected by fineness of grind. Effects of fineness of grind on yield of milk and milk components were greater than the effects of corn grain vitreousness. Key words: floury endosperm, vitreous endosperm, in body weight or body condition score or efficiency of milk production (kg of 3.5% fat-corrected milk/kg of DMI). Mean ruminal pH was not affected by treatment, but pH variance was decreased by vitreous compared with floury corn. Total volatile fatty acids and propionate concentrations in the rumen were increased by floury compared with vitreous corn but were not affected by fineness of grind. Effects of fineness of grind on yield of milk and milk components were greater than the effects of corn grain vitreousness.

Automated summary

In this study, it was found that vitreous corn compared with floury corn can reduce the variance of ruminal pH and increase the concentrations of total volatile fatty acids and propionate. The fineness of grind has a greater impact on milk yield and milk components than the vitreousness of corn grain.