Conference:Cattlemen's Day, 1993, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, March 5, 1993 Starting Page:55, Ending Page:56 Publisher:Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
Sixteen ruminally fistulated steers were
used to study the effects of supplemental alfalfa
level (.25 or 1.0% body weight [BW]) and
method of processing (hay or pellets) on wheat
straw utilization. Response to increased level
of supplemental alfalfa did not dependent on
method of processing (longstem vs pelleted) for
the quality of alfalfa (22.7% CP) used in this
trial. Increasing the level of alfalfa from .25
to 1.0% of BW reduced (P#.02) straw intake
and diet digestibility, but increased (P<.002)
digestible dry matter intake by steers. With
high quality hay, ground and pelleted alfalfa
elicits the same type of response as longstem
alfalfa.