The present study was conducted to examine the effect of soybean silage as a crude protein supplement for corn silage in the diet of Hanwoo steers. The first experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing corn silage with soybean silage at different levels on rumen fermentation characteristics in vitro. Commercially-purchased corn silage was replaced with 0, 4, 8, or 12% of soybean silage. Half gram of the substrate was added to 50 mL of buffer and rumen fluid from Hanwoo cows, and then incubated at 39°C for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h. At 24 h, the pH of the control (corn silage only) was lower (p<0.05) than that of soybeansupplemented silages, and the pH numerically increased along with increasing proportions of soybean silage. Other rumen parameters, including gas production, ammonia nitrogen, and total volatile fatty acids, were variable. However, they tended to increase with increasing proportions of soybean silage. In the second experiment, 60 Hanwoo steers were allocated to one of three dietary treatments, namely, CON (concentrate with Italian ryegrass), CS (concentrate with corn silage), CS4% (concentrate with corn silage and 4% of soybean silage). Animals were offered experimental diets for 110 days during the growing period and then finished with typified beef diets that were commercially available to evaluate the effect of soybean silage on animal performance and meat quality. With the soybean silage, the weight gain and feed efficiency of the animal were more significant than those of the other treatments during the growing period (p<0.05). However, the dietary treatments had little effect on meat quality except for meat color. In conclusion, corn silage mixed with soybean silage even at a lower level provided a greater ruminal environment and animal performances, particularly with increased carcass weight and feed efficiency during growing period.

This study was conducted to examine the effect of corn (Zea mays L.) - soybean (Glycine max L.) silage prepared by intercropping method on the nutritive value of the silage, in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics, dry matter degradability, as well as milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows. In a couple of experiments intercropped corn-soybean silage (CSBS) was compared with corn silage (CS) and/or Italian ryegrass hay (IRG). Numerically, CSBS had higher crude protein, ether extract, and lactic acid contents compared to CS. In vitro rumen fermentation analysis demonstrated that up to a 24-h incubation period, both CS and CSBS showed higher total gas production, ammonia N concentration, and dry matter degradability compared to IRG (p<0.05). The investigation on animals was conducted in a commercial dairy farm located in Gyeongju, South Korea, employing 42 Holstein cows that were divided into 2 group treatments: CS and CSBS in a completely randomized design. Although no significant difference was observed in milk yield, animals fed on CSBS showed significantly higher milk protein (p<0.05) and milk fat content (p<0.01), compared to animals fed on CS. Taken together, our findings indicate that corn-soybean silage that is cultivated, harvested, and prepared through intercropping can improve the protein content of the silage, and can also enhance in vitro rumen fermentation, dry matter degradability, and performance of dairy cattle.

This experiment was carried out to know adaptability and forage production and quality of corn and corn + soybean intercropping for silage at paddy field in Chungnam province. growth, forage production and quality of silage corn was higher in case of corn and soybean intercropping than that of corn single planting at paddy field. The height of stem of Kwangpyongok and Sword bean intercropping was somewhat lower than Kwangpyongok single planting and higher at ear height and stem diameter. Fresh yield of Kwangpyongok and Sword bean intercropping was the highest as 45.8 tons per ha among corn monoculture, corn + soybean intercropping. The dry yield of Kwangpyongok and Sword bean intercropping at paddy field was the highest as 20.5 tons per ha among corn monoculture and corn + soybean intercropping. The result of this study showed that 'Kwangpyongok and Sword bean intercropping' had good forage productivity and quality of silage compared with corn monoculture, corn and common bean intercropping.