Abstract
The effect of the alternative feeding of defibration-, expanding- and moistening- treated Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) (DEMB) silage, i.e. 41 % DEMB and 59 % sweet potato shochu distillery byproduct on a fresh weight basis with 10% polished rice bran (DEMB silage) on the milk production of lactating goats was studied. A switch-back trial using two Nubian goats was conducted to compare the milk yield, milk composition and fatty acid composition in the milk fat between the animals fed lucerne hay cubes only (control) and those fed lucerne hay cubes with 30% DEMB silage (in a TDN basis)(experimental diet) based on the previous findings that the fermentative quality, palatability and nutritive value of the silage were the most superior. Although the digestible crude protein intake per metabolic body size of goats fed the experimental diet was significantly higher than that of the control (P<0.01), there were no significant differences in dry matter, TDN, NDF and ADF intake per metabolic body size between treatments during the experiments. Milk yield and milk composition were not significantly different between treatments during the experiments, while unsaturated fatty acids tended to increase in the milk fat of the animals fed the experimental diet compared with the control. In particular, the milk of the former goats had significantly higher oleic (C18:1) and linoleic (C18:2) acid content than the latter (P<0.05).
It was concluded that the milk production of lactating goats was not affected by substituting the DEMB silage for ordinary components but that unsaturated fatty acids in milk fat were increased by the diet, indicating that it may produce value-added milk.
