Twelve lactating Holstein dairy cows were assigned to three 4x4 Latin squares to evaluate the effects of feeding corn silage or different dietary ratios of sugarcane and concentrate on nutrient intake, apparent digestibility, milk composition and yield, and body weight change. The diets contained 60% corn silage or 60, 50, and 40% of sugarcane supplemented with 1% of urea + ammonium sulphate (9:1). No significant differences were observed between the diet with 60% of corn silage and that with 40% of sugarcane on milk yield (20.81 and 19.78 kg/day), intake of dry matter and almost all remaining nutrients, apparent digestibility of most nutrients, and body weight change. Among sugarcane-based diets, cows fed the diet containing 60% sugarcane had the lowest milk yield (16.90 kg/day), dry matter intake, and body weight change, those fed 50% sugarcane were intermediate, and cows fed the diet with the smallest proportion of sugarcane (40%) had the highest values for these variables. Intake of NDF of cows receiving 50% sugarcane was similar to that of cows fed 40% sugarcane while for apparent digestibilities of NDF and nonfiber carbohydrates similar values were observed for cows fed 60 and 50% sugarcane-based diets. Milk composition did not differ significantly across treatments in the present trial.
apparent digestibility; milk yield; nutrient intake
