Blood constituents of holstein cows fed with corn or elephant-grass silages

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of corn (Zea mays L.) silage and elephant-grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) silage on the nutrition of cows during lactation, over some of the blood constituents (glucose, triglycerides and urea). The treatments were three silages (corn silage, elephant-grass silage with bacterial inoculating, elephant-grass silage with enzyme-bacterial inoculating). Nine Holstein cows, with a medium weight of 520 kg, were distributed in experimental delineation of simultaneous triple Latin square. The blood glucose rates were considered normal, independents of the silage used. Concerning the triglicerides levels, it was verified that they are below normal to the different silages. One of the reasons would be the low fat level on the diet. The blood levels of urea observed on the three treatments are considered normal. There was not significant difference among the different kinds of silage in relation to the blood levels of urea, glucose and triglycerides.