The effect of dietary feeding amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) silage (AS) instead of maize silage (MS) on the feed intake, digestibility, microbial nitrogen (N), blood parameters, milk production and N retention of the lactating Holstein cows, in third lactation (140 ± 13 days in milk) with 38.9 ± 4.7 kg milk/day, was assessed in a completely randomized design.