Siliertes italienisches Raygras - eine wertvolle Grundfutterkomponente auch für die ökologische Milchkuhfütterung?

The aim of the experiment was to examine the suitability of organically cultivated Italian ryegrass silage (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) for winter feeding of organic dairy cows. The therefore conducted feeding trial with two groups of lactating Holstein Friesian cows took place during the winter of 2008/09. For the experimental diet Italian ryegrass silage substituted 50% of the silage-portion of the control diet which was based on grass-clover silage. Both forage-mixtures were supplemented with moderate amounts of commercial concentrates to ensure isoenergetic and isonitrogeneous total diets. Cows fed the experimental diets had significantly higher forage intakes than cows offered the control diet (14.5 and 13.4 kg dry matter, respectively). But since the energy and protein contents of the experimental forage-mixture were lower than in the control forage-mixture, the higher forage intake did not facilitate higher milk yields, which were 20.3 and 21.0 kg when feeding the experimental and the control diet, respectively.