Body composition and performance of autumn-calving Holstein-Friesian dairy cows during lactation: food intake, milk constituent output and live weight

Author(s):  
J.D Sutton ◽  
K. Aston ◽  
D.E Beever ◽  
W.J. Fisher

The importance of measuring partition between body and milk in dairy cows and identifying the factors underlying it has long been recognised. However accurate measurements of partition In the body are few because of the difficulty and expense of the techniques.The purpose of the present experiment was to measure the effects in autumn-calving Holstein-Friesian cows given grass silage ad libitum of amount of concentrate and stage of lactation on body composition by direct (Gibb et al 1992a, b) and Indirect (Kings et al 1992) techniques, adipose tissue metabolism (Walsh et al 1992) and milk production. In a related trial, energy balance was measured in other cows by Indirect calorimetry (Cammell et al 1992).This report covers silage Intake, milk production and live-weight change. Communications on the associated studies are given in the Proceedings of this Meeting.

Author(s):  
S.B. Cammell ◽  
D.E. Beever ◽  
J.D. Sutton ◽  
M.C. Spooner ◽  
M.J. Haines

Previous experiments have demonstrated the effects of diet composition, energy substrate and stage of lactation on the energy balance of lactating Friesian cows (Beever et al 1989). The purpose of the present experiment was to extend these studies by measuring energy balance and respiratory exchange in parallel with direct measurements of changes in body composition by slaughter. (See accompanying summaries).Nine cows were selected on the basis of age, parity, live weight and previous lactational performance to be similar to those in an associated feeding trial (Sutton et al 1992). They were allocated to 3 (L), 6 (M) and 9 (H) kg DM/day of concentrates (206g CP and 12 MJ ME per kg DM) with grass silage ad libitum (206g CP and 10.4 MJ ME per kg DM). Measurements of energy exchange were made at five stages of lactation, weeks 5, 10. 16, 22 and 28. Gaseous exchange was measured during each stage of lactation for 4 days using open-circuit respiration calorimetry followed by a 6 day collection of faeces and urine.


Author(s):  
M.J. Gibb ◽  
W.E. Ivings ◽  
J.D. Sutton

In order to understand the complex changes associated with lactation in the dairy cow it is necessary to assess the contribution of the non-carcass components. It has been shown with sheep (Cowan, Robinson, Greenhalgh and McHattie, 1979) that a number of tissues may be mobilised during lactation with a redistribution of tissues particularly towards the gut and udder, and that diet may have a significant effect. Butler-Hogg, Wood and Bines (1985), using Friesian dairy cows showed changes in the weights of guts, internal fat depots (omental, mesenteric and perinephric) and liver with stage of lactation although the number of stages examined was somewhat limited. The present experiment investigates changes in non-carcass component weights at 9 points over the first 29 weeks of lactation and with 3 levels of concentrate supplementation.


1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 4-4
Author(s):  
J D Sutton ◽  
A L Abdalla ◽  
R H Phipps ◽  
S B Cammell ◽  
D J Humphries

Whole crop wheat (WCW) appears to offer an attractive alternative forage to grass silage for dairy cows, particularly in those areas where maize silage cannot be grown. However in previous feeding trials the inclusion of WCW with grass silage has increased food intake but has not led to a corresponding increase in milk yield (Phipps et al,1993). As part of a programme to try to overcome the low efficiency of diets containing WCW, the present experiment was designed to examine the effects on feed intake and digestibility and milk production of the step-wise replacement of GS by urea-treated WCW.Winter wheat (cv Hussar), harvested at 620g DM/kg fresh weight and preserved with 20 or 40 g urea/kg DM (WCW-2, WCW-4) was compared with first-cut perennial ryegrass silage (GS). Six multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows in mid-lactation were offered six diets over three 4-week periods in an incomplete change-over design. Diets were 6kg DM concentrates daily with forages ad lib. Treatments (DM basis) were GS alone, 2:1 GS:WCW-2 or WCW-4, 1:2 GS: WCW-2 or WCW-4, and WCW-4 alone. Feed intake and milk production were measured in weeks 3 and 4 and digestibility in week 4.


1993 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Gibb ◽  
W. E. Ivings

The relationships between body composition, live weight (LW) and subjective condition score (CS) were examined in an experiment in which 54, second to fourth parity, lactating autumn-calving Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were slaughtered at 0, 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 19, 24 and 29 weeks post partum. Multiple regression analyses showed the weight of fat and the quantity of energy within the body were significantly correlated with both LW and CS. The weight of crude protein showed a linear correlation with LW. These results are discussed and compared with previously published investigations with non-lactating dairy cows.


2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
I. Bencsik ◽  
N. Pacala ◽  
T. Theilen ◽  
Jana Stanculet ◽  
Alena Bencsik

In our study the behavior of dairy cows was studied during the first three months of lactation. The experiments were done on 25 cows raised in free-stalls on slatted floor in 25.5-31.5 m 2 boxes. In the experimental period the cows were fed grass, silage and hay. The concentrates were used for feeding during the milking time and the quantity depended on milk production of each cow. The dairy cows were monitored every 10 minutes in 24 hours period for several days. We have observed that the primiparous and secundiparous cows are resting 1-2 hours less than the older cows. The time needed to ingest the forages is longer at primiparous and secundiparous. During 24 hours, cows are spending 12-14 hours on rest, so it is necessary to build comfortable and spacious pens. Cows are spending 5-6 hours on feeding, so we must provide a larger feeding area for each cow.


1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 4-4
Author(s):  
J D Sutton ◽  
A L Abdalla ◽  
R H Phipps ◽  
S B Cammell ◽  
D J Humphries

Whole crop wheat (WCW) appears to offer an attractive alternative forage to grass silage for dairy cows, particularly in those areas where maize silage cannot be grown. However in previous feeding trials the inclusion of WCW with grass silage has increased food intake but has not led to a corresponding increase in milk yield (Phipps et al,1993). As part of a programme to try to overcome the low efficiency of diets containing WCW, the present experiment was designed to examine the effects on feed intake and digestibility and milk production of the step-wise replacement of GS by urea-treated WCW.Winter wheat (cv Hussar), harvested at 620g DM/kg fresh weight and preserved with 20 or 40 g urea/kg DM (WCW-2, WCW-4) was compared with first-cut perennial ryegrass silage (GS). Six multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows in mid-lactation were offered six diets over three 4-week periods in an incomplete change-over design. Diets were 6kg DM concentrates daily with forages ad lib. Treatments (DM basis) were GS alone, 2:1 GS:WCW-2 or WCW-4, 1:2 GS: WCW-2 or WCW-4, and WCW-4 alone. Feed intake and milk production were measured in weeks 3 and 4 and digestibility in week 4.


1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 32-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.D. Sutton ◽  
S.B. Cammell ◽  
D.E. Beever ◽  
R.H. Phipps ◽  
D.J. Humphries

Increasing maturity at harvest of maize silage has been shown to affect feed intake and milk production in Holstein-Friesian cows (Phipps et al., 1998). The purpose of the present experiment was to determine whether the milk production response was related to improvements in the efficiency of feed energy utilisation.Four multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows (mean live weight 620 kg) fitted with permanent cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were given diets based on maize silage and grass silage (3:1 DM ratio) offered ad libitum plus 8.7 kg DM/day of a concentrate (254 g crude protein (CP)/kg DM) starting 5-10 weeks post-calving. The maize silage was harvested at four different stages of maturity as defined by DM content and ensiled without additives. The grass silage was a first-cut perennial ryegrass (260 g DM/kg, 519 g neutral detergent fibre (NDF)/kg DM, 146 g CP/kg DM).


1989 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. F. Weller ◽  
R. H. Phipps

SummaryIn two trials the effect on D.M. intake of applying flavouring agents to grass silage at feeding time was examined using a total of 89 British Friesian cows in mid to late lactation. The flavouring agent used in Expt 1 was Simax 100 (5 ml/cow per day), while in Expt 2 Palatol (20 ml/cow per day), molasses (0·7 kg D.M./cow per day) and molasses + Talin (0·7 kg D.M./cow per day) were added to both lowand high-quality grass silage.Both Simax (significantly) and Palatol increased silage D.M. intake by an average 0·67 kg/day. The total D.M. intake of the cows fed the molasses and molasses + Talin was similar to that obtained by those receiving the silage treated with Simax and Palatol. However, in the case of the cows receiving the molasses and molasses + Talin, the increased D.M. intake was obtained mainly from the additional molasses and not by an increased silage intake. This result indicates a very low substitution rate for molasses.Although D.M. intake was increased by the addition of flavouring agents, milk production remained unaltered because of the relatively late stage of lactation of the cows in both trials.


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 206-206
Author(s):  
R.J. Dewhurst ◽  
D. Wadhwa ◽  
L.P. Borgida ◽  
D.W.R. Davies ◽  
W.J. Fisher

Falling prices for cereals and beneficial effects on milk protein concentrations may promote greater inclusions of rapidly fermented ingredients in dairy rations. There is, however, a limit to the inclusion of these feeds into dairy rations beyond which performance declines due to sub-acidosis and related disorders. The feed compounder will need to be able to set limits on levels of feeding concentrates according to these risks. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of feeds of different acidogenicity (Wadhwa et al., 1998) on lactation performance of dairy cows offered diets based on grass- or maize-silage.Twelve multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows in the third month of lactation were used for this experiment. The experimental design involved adaptation and covariance recording on a standard diet (grass silage and 10 kg concentrates per day), followed by three 21-day experimental periods arranged as four 3x3 Latin Squares. The Latin Squares were constrained to a single forage to avoid difficulties in changeovers between grass silage and maize silage.


2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 240-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruairi P McDonnell ◽  
Martin vH Staines

This research paper describes the effect of partially replacing wheat with maize grain and canola meal on milk production and body condition changes in early lactation Holstein-Friesian dairy cows consuming a grass silage-based diet over an 83-d period. Two groups of 39 cows were stratified for age, parity, historical milk yield and days in milk (DIM), and offered one of two treatment diets. The first treatment (CON) reflected a typical diet used by Western Australian dairy producers in summer and comprised (kg DM/cow per d); 8 kg of annual ryegrass silage, 6 kg of crushed wheat (provided once daily in a mixed ration), 3·6 kg of crushed lupins (provided in the milking parlour in two daily portions) and ad libitum lucerne haylage. The second treatment diet (COMP) was identical except the 6 kg of crushed wheat was replaced by 6 kg of a more complex concentrate mix (27% crushed wheat, 34% maize grain and 37% canola meal). Lucerne haylage was provided independently in the paddock to all cows, and no pasture was available throughout the experiment. The COMP group had a greater mean overall daily intake (22·5vs20·4 kg DM/cow) and a higher energy corrected milk (ECM) yield (29·2vs27·1 kg/cow;P= 0·047) than the CON cows. The difference in overall intake was caused by a higher daily intake of lucerne haylage in COMP cows (4·5vs2·3 kg DM/cow). The CON group had a higher concentration of milk fat (42·1vs39·3 g/kg;P= 0·029) than COMP cows. Milk protein yield was greater in COMP cows (P< 0·021); however, milk fat yield was unaffected by treatment. It is concluded that partially replacing wheat with canola meal and maize grain in a grass silage-based diet increases voluntary DMI of conserved forage and consequently yields of ECM and milk protein.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document