Experiment: RUMIVITAL improves the digestibility of grass silage rich in crude fibre
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The basis for successful dairy cow feeding is the forage. Different weather conditions and cutting times can greatly influence the digestibility of the forage. ISF Schaumann Research has investigated the influence of the innovative SCHAUMANN active ingredient RUMIVITAL on NDF digestibility and has proven a significant increase in the digestibility of raw fibre-rich grass silage under the influence of RUMIVITAL.
Depending on weather conditions and harvest time, an undesirable increase in hard-to-digest cell wall components such as the structural carbohydrates lignin and cellulose may already have occurred in the plant cell walls. The proportion of valuable cell content has then already decreased (Fig. 1).
Better rumen fermentation leads to higher energy yield from feed
For feeding, this means that rumen microbes need longer to break down cell walls with significantly higher NDF and ADF contents. As a result, the digestibility of the silage decreases, and with it the energy yield from the forage. The active ingredient complex RUMIVITAL counteracts this by stimulating the breakdown of fibre components, thereby positively influencing rumen bacteria and rumen fermentation.
Analysis: Grass silage of varying quality is incubated
ISF Schaumann Research investigated the effect of RUMIVITAL on the NDF digestibility of silage after 30 hours. To this end, two grass silages of varying quality were incubated with and without Rumivital and the NDF digestibility was compared after 30 hours (see Fig. 2).
The results showed that the silage samples treated with Rumivital had significantly improved crude fibre digestibility. The figures clearly show that the NDF digestibility of crude fibre-rich silage could be increased by up to 6% (see Fig. 3).
Effect of improved fibre digestion on economic efficiency
The result shows that improved fibre digestion (NDF digestibility) leads to higher dry matter and thus increased energy intake, which is already described in the literature as a trigger for higher milk yield. An increase in NDF digestibility of 1% can lead to an increase in DM intake of 0.17 kg, with milk yield increasing by 0.23 kg or 0.25 kg 4%ECM (source: Oba and Allen, 1999).
Conclusion: High milk yields can be ensured with RUMIVITAL
RUMIVITAL has been proven to increase the digestibility of cell wall components, the utilisation of total organic matter, the energy of the total ration and feed efficiency. This creates the basis for high feed intake and enables the rumen- and cost-friendly use of concentrate feed as well as ensuring high milk yields.
