COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF FEEDING MILLET VERSUS BARLEY ON YIELD AND COMPOSITION OF MILK IN HOLSTEIN COWS

To compare the effects of feeding millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) vs. barley on the production and composition of milk, eight lactating Holstein cows were used in a replicated 4x4 Latin square design with 2 Id periods. Barley was replaced by millet in ratios of 0, 33, 66, and 100% in rations 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Diets were given in a 50:50 ratio (DM basis) of concentrate and corn silage on a dry matter (DM) basis. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in DM intake, milk production, yield of 3.2% Fat corrected milk (FCM), kg fat and lactose, percent of lactose. Solids-not-fat (SNF) and feed efficiency among treatments. Apparent digestibility of the organic matter (OM) content was higher for diets containing millet (59.34 vs. 62.92, 63.02 and 62.43), respectively. The fat percentage in rations containing 100% millet was lower (3.40, 3.38 and 3.39 vs. 3.28%), and the protein was higher (3.12, 3.15, 3.17 and 3.30%) for rations 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, (P<0.05).