Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of feeding whole-plant sorghum silage (WPSS) with different kernel processing techniques (KP). Exp. 1 contrasted KP for WPSS on intake and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) in beef heifers (n = 24, 13 ± 1 mo, 267 ± 10.9 kg of initial body weight [BW]) housed in individual pens (36 m2). Grain sorghum was harvested at hard dough, switching the kernel processor to obtain the WPSS treatments: A) unprocessed (UNP), B) conventionally processed (CONV), and C) shredlage processed (SHRD). Heifers (8/treatment) received ad libitum WPSS from their respective treatment, plus soybean meal top-dressed at 0.5% BW/d (DM basis). Feed, and feces were collected for 5 d; feed was offered once daily, and orts were collected the following day. Fecal samples were collected twice daily, and ATTD was determined using indigestible neutral detergent fiber (NDF) as a marker. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design, with heifer as the experimental unit, and the following contrasts were performed 1) Processing: UNP vs. (CONV + SHRD) and 2) Processor: CONV vs. SHRD. Processing WPSS increased the ATTD of starch by 4.5% (P = 0.01), reduced fecal starch by 27.5% (P = 0.01), and reduced the change of NDF from feed to orts by 39% (P < 0.01). Heifers fed SHRD had 6.6% greater ATTD of NDF than CONV-fed heifers (P = 0.04). Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of feeding either SHRD or CONV-processed WPSS on growth performance of beef heifers. Whole-plant grain sorghum was harvested at the hard-dough stage, switching the KP as in Exp. 1. Angus heifers (n = 96, 15 ± 1 mo, 249.6 ± 28.6 kg of BW) were blocked by initial BW, and randomly assigned to pens (8 heifers/pen, 6 pens/treatment). Diets consisted, all in a DM basis, of WPSS, either SHRD or CONV, at 90.5%, expeller soybean meal at 7.0%, and a vitamin-mineral-protein concentrate at 2.5%. After 14-d of adaptation, growth was measured for 56 d, and feed was offered once daily. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with the pen as the experimental unit. Heifers fed CONV had a 9.6% greater gain-to-feed ratio (P = 0.05) and a 7.4% greater Kleiber ratio (P = 0.05) than SHRD-fed heifers. Apparent net energy of gain tended to be 7.1% greater in CONV-fed heifers (P = 0.06). In conclusion, kernel processing WPSS increased starch digestibility and reduced fecal starch concentration. Using SHRD increased NDF digestibility and feeding CONV-processed WPSS resulted in enhanced growth performance.

中文翻译：

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全株高粱青贮饲料中果仁加工和加工类型的评价：对背景肉牛小母牛营养消化率和动物性能的影响


进行了两个实验，以评估用不同果仁加工技术 （KP） 饲喂全株高粱青贮饲料 （WPSS） 的效果。实验 1 对比了单个围栏 （36 m2） 中的肉小母牛 （n = 24， 13 ± 1 mo， 267 ± 10.9 kg 初始体重 [BW]）摄入量和表观总消化率 （ATTD） 的 WPSS 的 KP。谷物高粱以硬面团收获，切换籽粒处理器以获得 WPSS 处理：A） 未加工 （UNP），B） 常规加工 （CONV） 和 C） 碎屑加工 （SHRD）。小母牛（8 个/处理）从各自的处理中随意接受 WPSS，加上 0.5% BW/d 追肥的豆粕（以 DM 为基础）。饲料和粪便收集 5 d;每天提供一次饲料，第二天收集 ORTS。每天收集 2 次粪便样本，并使用不可消化的中性洗涤纤维 （NDF） 作为标志物测定 ATTD。以小母牛为实验单位，作为完全随机的设计对数据进行分析，并进行了以下对比：1） 处理：UNP 与 （CONV + SHRD） 和 2） 处理器：CONV 与 SHRD。加工 WPSS 使淀粉的 ATTD 增加了 4.5% （P = 0.01），粪便淀粉减少了 27.5% （P = 0.01），NDF 从饲料到矿石的变化减少了 39% （P < 0.01）。饲喂 SHRD 的小母牛的 NDF ATTD 比 ACV 饲养的小母牛高 6.6% （P = 0.04）。实验 2 评估了饲喂 SHRD 或 CIN 加工的 WPSS 对肉牛小母牛生长性能的影响。全株谷物高粱在硬面团阶段收获，将 KP 与 Exp. 1 中相同。安格斯小母牛 （n = 96， 15 ± 1 个月，249.6 ± 28.6 kg BW） 被初始 BW 封闭，并随机分配到围栏 （8 头小母牛/围栏，6 个围栏/处理）。 饮食包括 WPSS（SHRD 或 CONV），占 90.5%，压榨豆粕占 7.0%，维生素矿物质蛋白质浓缩物占 2.5%。适应 14 天后，测量生长 56 天，每天提供一次饲料。以笔为实验单元，作为随机完整区组设计分析数据。与 SHRD 饲喂的小母牛相比，饲喂 CONV 的小母牛的增重与饲喂率高 9.6% （P = 0.05），克莱伯比高 7.4% （P = 0.05）。在 CIN 喂养的小母牛中，表观净增重能量往往高出 7.1% （P = 0.06）。总之，籽粒加工 WPSS 提高了淀粉消化率并降低了粪便淀粉浓度。使用 SHRD 提高了 NDF 消化率，并饲喂了 CONV 加工的 WPSS 导致生长性能增强。