Mixed cereal silage as a forage complement to Kikuyu grass grazing for small-scale dairy systems in the dry season

Small scale dairy systems (SSDS) require feeding alternatives that increase their productivity with low environmental impact and economically viable. The objective of this work was to compare maize silage (T1) with silages from small-grain cereal mixtures (SGCM): rye plus barley (T2) and rye plus triticale (T3) as a complement to grazing Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus) in the dry season. Nine mid lactation Holstein cows 500 ± 54.8 kg live weight (LW), 160 ± 74.6 days in milk and daily milk yield (MY) of 13.6 ± 3.37 kg were evaluated under a repeated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 12 day periods. The agronomic variables of the pasture, the productive response of the animals, the composition of feeds and estimated methane emissions were considered. T3 presented higher crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) contents (P < 0.05) and T1 had higher in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and estimated metabolizable energy (eME) content (P < 0.05). Gross energy lost as methane was less with maize silage (P < 0.05). There were no differences (P > 0.05) in animal variables, total matter intake and methane emissions between treatments. The inclusion of silage from SGCM can be considered a feasible alternative to supplement grazing of cows in advanced lactation for SSDS of the central Mexican highlands during the dry season.