Maize silage is one of the most important feeds for ruminant nutrition and various production methods can have a significant impact on their quality, especially the utilization of nutrients. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of conventional and shredlage processing of harvested maize on kernel processing, fermentation profile, physically effective fibre and digestibility of maize silage. A stay-green maize hybrid was harvested with a conventional forage harvester (CON; theoretical length of cut 10 mm; conventional rollers with a 30% difference in roller speed; the rollers have a horizontally teeth; 1-mm roll clearance) or a shredlage processor (SHR; theoretical length of cut 25 mm; Shredlage crop processor with 50% difference in roller speed; the rollers have sawtooth teeth with a counter-rotating spiral groove; 1-mm clearance) and stored in experimental silos. The experimental silages were analysed for chemical composition (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fibre, neutral detergent fibre, starch), fermentation parameters (pH, lactate, acetate, ammonia), processing quality (kernel processing score, particle size), physically effective neutral detergent fibre (peNDF) and in vivo nutrient digestibility. The shredlage processing (SHR) of maize plants did not have an effect on the silage fermentation profile. On the other hand, the SHR treatment significantly increased kernel processing score (p < 0.01) and peNDF content (p < 0.01). SHR also increased in vivo digestibility significantly, namely that of dry matter (DM), organic matter, starch, crude fibre and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). An increase in nutrient digestibility leads to higher values of NEL. The presented results show positive effects of shredlage processing on quality and digestibility of maize silage.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of different maize processing technologies, comparing treatments with conventional rollers (control), MCC MAX rollers and a Shredlage crop processor on the quality of chopped maize. All the three types of chopped maize were harvested on the same day from the same field where the same maize hybrid was grown. The chemical composition of chopped maize, degree of grain processing and particle size fractions, and the effect of the treatments on rumen disappearance of dry matter, organic matter, NDF and starch were assessed. The highest degree of grain processing was achieved with the Shredlage processor (79.2%), and at the same time this processing method had a tendency to produce the highest proportion of physically effective fibre (37.2%). Compared to the conventional rollers (control), the chopped maize produced using the Shredlage processor had higher disappearance of dry matter, organic matter and NDF after 48 h of rumen incubation and of starch after 24 h of incubation. The MCC MAX rollers provided higher disappearance of all nutrients compared to the control treatment after both 24 and 48 h of incubation.

The aim of the study was to investigate the incorporation of white (WL) and yellow lupine (YL) seed meal as a replacement for rapeseed meal (RS) in the diets of finishing bulls with respect to growth, serum biochemical parameters, carcass composition and meat quality, including sensory analysis. A total of 30 Fleckvieh bulls (average initial weight 441 kg; SD = 33 kg) were housed under identical conditions and fed ad libitum diets similar in protein and energy contents, but with different protein sources—YL seed meal (70 g/kg DM), WL seed meal (77 g/kg DM), and RS meal (75 g/kg DM)—for an average of 85 days. The RS bulls gained weight more rapidly (p < 0.05) and were more efficient (lower feed to gain ratio; p < 0.001) than the YL animals, with the WL group being intermediary. The slaughter and carcass traits, most blood parameters, and meat quality attributes measured in two different muscles were not affected by diet. The proportions and contents of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were higher in YL and WL meat (p < 0.001), whilst polyunsaturated fatty acid proportions were higher in RS meat (p < 0.001). Several meat texture characteristics were slightly more favourable in the YL samples compared to the other treatment groups. In conclusion, WL could be used as a replacement of RS in the diets for finishing bulls. However, further research is needed to examine different varieties and inclusion levels of YL in cattle feeding.

Differences between chemical analysis and portable near-infrared reflectance spectrometry in maize hybrids | Radko Loučka, Václav Jambor, Jan Nedělník, Jaroslav Lang, Petr Homolka, Filip Jančík, Veronika Koukolová, Petra Kubelková, Yvona Tyrolová, Alena Výborná | Agricultural Journals