Pelleted Forage Conservation and Its Effects on Nutritional Value, Feeding Behavior, and Feed Intake in Dairy Cattle

Abstract The development of a simple and economical forage conservation method suitable for local dairy farmers is essential due to the seasonal availability of forages. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of conserving forages in pelleted form and to assess the acceptability, palatability, and quality of pelleted forages. Hybrid Napier Grass (CO3), Panicum maximum (Guinea grass), Leucaena leucocephala (Ipil ipil) and Gliricidia sepium were harvested and sun-dried for 3 h (short-dried (Sd)), 4 h (medium-dried (Md)), and 5 h (long-dried (Ld)) to determine the optimal drying duration for pelleting. Pelletability, moisture content, bulk density, unit density, keeping quality, and nutrient composition of the pellets were analyzed. Supplemented pellets were prepared from each forage type by mixing 75% dried forage with either 25% rice polish (T1) or 75% dried forage with 12.5 % rice polish and 12.5% coconut poonac (T2). The pellets were evaluated for keeping quality, acceptability, and palatability in dairy cows. The biomass from short-dried (Sd) Leucaena, medium-dried (Md) Giricidia, long-dried (Ld) CO3, and Guinea grass showed the best pelleting properties, producing stable pellets with the highest bulk and unit densities and the longest shelf life. High-quality pellets were storable at room temperature for over two months without fungal or mold growth, off-odors, or discoloration. The T2 pellets exhibited higher acceptability and palatability than T1 across all the forage types. The palatability differed significantly between the treatments (T1 and T2) and among the forage varieties (P = 0.05). Forage pelleting proved to be a cost-effective conservation method for grasses and legumes, producing pellets with improved keeping quality, palatability, and acceptability for dairy cattle. Therefore, forage pelleting represents a sustainable, economical, and practical conservation strategy for small- to medium-scale dairy farmers.