Forage mixtures for dairy cows: the effect on dry-matter intake and milk production of incorporating either fermented or urea-treated whole-crop wheat, brewers' grains, fodder beet or maize silage into diets based on grass silage

1995 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 491-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Phipps ◽  
J. D. Sutton ◽  
B. A. Jones

AbstractOne hundred and two multiparous Holstein/Friesian dairy coivs were used to examine the effect on food intake and milk production of replacing 330 g/kg dry matter (DM) of first-cut perennial ryegrass silage (GS) with either fermented (FW) or urea (40 g/kg DM) treated (UW) whole-crop wheat, brewers' grains (BG), fodder beet (FB) or maize silage (MS). A forage mixture containing GS and 750 g/kg DM of maize silage (MSH) was also offered. Dietary crude protein (CP) concentrations were equalized by offering all cows 6 kg DM per day of an appropriate concentrate supplement. DM intake and milk yield of cows offered GS (15·3, 23·0 kg/day) were increased (F < 0·01) by the inclusion of BG (16·3, 26·7 kg/day), FB (17·6, 25·9 kg/day), MS (16·6, 26·4 kg/day) and MSH (18·5, 27·6 kg/day). BG, FB and MS all produced similar increases in milk yield. Although the inclusion of FW and UW increased (F < 0·05) DM intake, milk yield was not significantly affected. The differences between the highest and lowest milk fat concentration, produced by FB (42·9 g/kg) and BG (40·1 g/kg) respectively, and the highest and lowest milk protein concentration produced by FB (32·1 g/kg) and GS (29·9 g/kg) respectively, were statistically significant (F < 0·001). Milk fat and protein yields of cows offered GS (0·97, 0·71 kg/day) were increased (F < 0·01) by BG (1·07, 0·82 kg/day), FB (1·11, 0·83 kg/day), MS (1·11, 0·83 kg/day) and MSH (1·12, 0·88 kg/day). Intermediate values were recorded for FW (1·01, 0·72 kg/day) or UW (1·00, 0·73 kg/day). Results show that farmers should consider replacing a major part of the grass silage component with an alternative forage or forage substitute.

2006 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Horan ◽  
P. Faverdin ◽  
L. Delaby ◽  
M. Rath ◽  
P. Dillon

AbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate the effects of strain of Holstein-Friesian cow, pasture-based feeding system (FS) and their interaction on milk production, dry matter (DM) intake and energy balance over 3 years consecutively. The three strains were: high milk production North American (HP), high fertility and survival (durability) North American (HD) and New Zealand (NZ). The FS were: a high grass allowance (HG FS), a high concentrate (HC FS) and a high stocking rate (HS FS). A separate farmlet existed for each FS and a total of 99, 117 and 117 animals were used in year 1, year 2 and year 3, respectively, divided equally between strains and FS. Individual animal intakes were estimated three times each year at pasture; in May (P1), in July (P2) and October (P3), corresponding on average to day 102, 177 and 240 of lactation, respectively. The HP cows achieved the highest milk yield, the NZ the lowest, while the HD was intermediate; the HP achieved the highest solid corrected milk yield with no difference between the NZ and HD strains. The grass DM intake of the HP strain was highest ( P<0·001) in all feeding systems. There was a significant strain×FS interaction for yield of milk, fat and protein, grass DM and total DM intake. The milk production response to the HC FS in P1 and P2 was significantly greater for both the HP and HD strains than for the NZ strain, while in P3 the response was highest for the HP, lowest for the NZ and intermediate for the HD. The reduction in pasture DM intake per kg of concentrate was greatest for the NZ strain, lowest for the HP and intermediate for the HD strain. The NZ strain also had the highest grass DM intake per kg live weight. The existence of strain×FS interactions for production and DM intake indicate that greater knowledge of both genotype and feeding environment is required to predict animal performance.


1996 ◽  
Vol 1996 ◽  
pp. 81-81
Author(s):  
R. H. Phipps ◽  
A. K. Jones ◽  
J. D. Sutton ◽  
D. Allen

The increasing interest in the potential of forage mixtures for milk production in the UK resulted in a three year study being commissioned at the Centre for Dairy Research by the Milk Marketing Board. Year 1 compared the effect on forage intake and yield of milk and milk constituents of replacing grass silage (GS) with either fodder beet (FB), urea-treated (4%) (UW) or fermented whole-crop wheat (FW) or brewers grains (BG) at 330 g/kg of forage DM or maize silage at either 330 (MS) or 750 (MSH) g/kg forage DM. All cows received 6 kg DM/day of an appropriate concentrate so that dietary crude protein (CP) was equalised. Tire use of forage mixtures significantly increased DM intake and milk yield. Significant changes were also recorded in milk quality. Milk fat content was depressed by BG and MSH but increased by FB, while MS and FB increased milk protein content when compared with GS. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of concentrate level on feed intake and milk production of Friesian cows offered a forage ration of either GS or mixtures of GS and either 330 g/kg forage DM of MS, FB or BG, or 750 g/kg forage DM of maize silage (MSH).


Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio E. Beltrán ◽  
Omar Al-Marashdeh ◽  
Ana R. Burgos ◽  
Pablo Gregorini ◽  
Oscar A. Balocchi ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the order of grass silage (GS) and maize silage (MS) supplementation on milk yield, grazing behavior and nitrogen (N) partitioning of lactating dairy cows during autumn. Thirty-six Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were randomly assigned to one of three treatments, and cows remained on these treatments for a 62 days period: (1) MIX; cows supplemented with 3 kg of dry matter (DM) of silage containing 1.5 kg DM of MS and 1.5 kg DM of GS in both the morning and afternoon; (2) GS-MS; cows supplemented with 3 kg DM of GS in the morning and 3 kg DM of MS in the afternoon; (3) MS-GS; cows supplemented with 3 kg DM of MS in the morning and 3 kg DM of GS in the afternoon. All cows received a pasture allowance of 17 kg DM/cow/d and 3 kg DM of concentrate. Grazing time and pasture intake were unaffected by treatment; however, milk production was greater for MS-GS, while milk protein was greater for GS-MS. Urinary N excretion was greater for MS-GS than MIX. In conclusion, MS-GS resulted in high milk yield but also high urinary N excretion, while MIX resulted in low urinary N excretion but also decreased milk yield.


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.


Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1256
Author(s):  
Senén De La Torre-Santos ◽  
Luis J. Royo ◽  
Adela Martínez-Fernández ◽  
Cristina Chocarro ◽  
Fernando Vicente

The optimization of milk production includes a rational use of forages, respect for the environment and offers the best quality to consumers. Milk production based on grass and forages produces healthier milk and it is widely spread throughout the Atlantic arc to maximize milk yield per hectare. However, the mode of offering the grass can have a major influence on milk composition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of grass supply mode (grazing, zero-grazing or ensiling) on dairy cows’ performance, with particular reference to fatty acids and fat-soluble antioxidants concentration. A three by three Latin square experiment was performed with 18 dairy cows. Experimental treatments consisted of exclusive feeding with grass silage and zero-grazing, both offered ad libitum indoors, or grazing for 24 h. The results showed that grazing cows had a higher dry matter intake and greater milk yield than cows feeding on grass silage and zero-grazing, as well as higher concentrations of protein, lactose, nonfat-solids and urea in milk than housed cows. Milk fat from grazing cows had a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids than from cows feeding on grass silage and zero-grazing, with significant differences in the proportion of vaccenic and rumenic acids. The 18:1 trans-11 to 18:1 trans-10 ratio is proposed as biomarker to identify the milk produced from the management system of grazing cattle. Milk from grazing cows had a greater proportion of lutein than cows eating grass silage, with the zero-grazing system having intermediate values. In conclusion, the mode of grass supply affects fatty acid and antioxidant profiles of milk.


2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 337
Author(s):  
B. C. Granzin

Two experiments were undertaken to determine the effect of timing of protein supplementation on performance of grazing, lactating Holstein–Friesian cows fed maize silage and grain-based concentrate. In experiment 1, 36 cows were fed 0.8 kg DM/day of solvent-extracted cottonseed meal (CSM) either as 1 meal at 1200 hours with maize silage (CSM 1200) or at 1530 hours with concentrate (CSM 1530), or in 2 meals at 0600 and 1530 hours with concentrate (CSM 600 + 1530). In experiment 2, 36 cows were either fed no CSM (control) or fed 1.0 kg DM/day as either CSM 1200 or CSM 600 + 1530. In experiment 1, daily yields of 4% fat-corrected milk (FCM) and milk fat for CSM 600 + 1530 were significantly higher than for CSM 1530 with respective means of 22.8 v. 20.7 L and 895 v. 804 g. Daily yields of FCM and milk fat for CSM 1200 were intermediate (21.7 L and 841 g/cow, respectively). A similar trend for daily protein yield per cow was noted (712, 695 and 666 g for CSM 600 + 1530, 1200 and 1530, respectively). In experiment 2, milk yield differed numerically between CSM 600 + 1530 and other treatments, with means (± s.e.d.) of 24.7 ± 0.78, 22.9 ± 0.78 and 22.9 ± 0.78 L/cow.day for CSM 600 + 1530, CSM 1200 and control, respectively. Mean (± s.e.d.) net energy requirements for milk production and liveweight change tended to be lower for the control (68 ± 3.6 MJ/cow.day) as opposed to CSM 600 + 1530 (79 ± 3.6 MJ/cow.day) and CSM 1200 (76 ± 3.6 MJ/cow.day). Cumulative time where rumen degradable nitrogen:rumen degradable dry matter was less than 22 g/kg were 2, 2 and 3 h for CSM 600 + 1530, CSM 1200 and CSM 1530, respectively, in experiment 1, and 6, 4 and 2 h for the control, 1200 and CSM 600 + 1530, respectively, in experiment 2. No differences in rumen ammonia-N concentrations were noted between treatments in experiment 1. In experiment 2, a significantly lower mean (± s.e.d.) rumen ammonia-N concentration was recorded for the control at 1530 hours (62 ± 14.1 mg/dL) in comparison to CSM 600 + 1530 (114 ± 14.1 mg/dL) and CSM 1200 (119 ± 14.1 mg/dL). These experiments show that for grazing dairy cows supplemented with maize silage and grain-based concentrate, feeding a daily aliquot of CSM as 2 meals at 0600 and 1530 hours rather than 1 meal at 1200 or 1530 hours improves milk production.


1990 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
SC Valentine ◽  
BD Bartsch

Milk production and composition was determined in Holstein-Friesian cows fed either 3.5 or 7.0 kg dry matter (DM) daily of lupin grain, pea grain, faba bean grain or barley grain with or without 1.5% added urea, as supplements to an oaten hay based diet. All the grains were hammermilled. Daily yields of milk (L), fat (kg) and protein (kg) were significantly (P<0.05) higher for cows fed lupin (20.0, 0.81, 0.57), pea (18.9, 0.80, 0.56) and faba bean (18.9, 0.79,0.55) grains compared with those of cows fed barley grain with (17.8, 0.73, 0.51) or without (18.0, 0.71, 0.52) urea. Yields of milk (L), fat (kg) and protein (kg) and milk protein content (g/kg) were significantly (P<0.05) higher when 7.0 kg DM (19.5, 0.80, 0.57, 29.6) compared with 3.5 kg DM (18.0,0.73,0.51,29.0) of grain was fed. There were no significant differences between treatments in hay DM intake by cows fed 3.5 kg DM of grain daily. A significantly (P<0.05) higher milk fat production per unit DM intake was recorded for cows fed legume compared with barley grain. There were generally higher returns above grain cost for cows fed legume compared with barley grain and for cows fed 4 kg compared to 8 kg daily of grain. It was concluded that it was more economical to feed 3.5 kg DM of legume grain compared with 3.5 kg DM of barley grain, with or without urea, as supplements for cows offered cereal hay in early lactation. However, the economics of feeding 7.0 kg DM of legume grain compared with 7.0 kg DM of barley grain and 7.0 kg DM compared with 3.5 kg DM of grain will depend on the costs of relative changes in hay intake associated with these practices.


1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 349-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannele Khalili ◽  
Tuomo Varvikko ◽  
Vesa Toivonen ◽  
Kari Hissa ◽  
Marjatta Suvitie

The addition of glycerol or free fatty acids either alone or in combination to concentrate was studied for the effects on feed intake, milk production, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites and diet digestibility in dairy cows given grass silage ad libitum. The study was conducted on 12 mid-lactating cows, four of them ruminally cannulated. Barley-based concentrate (control diet, C) was given 7 kg/d as fed. In the other three diets, 36 g/kg of barley was replaced by glycerol (G) or a mixture of free fatty acids (FA) or by a combination of the two, making a total of 72 g/kg (GFA). The experimental design consisted of balanced 4 x 4 Latin squares with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of diets: the effects of G, FA and G*FA interaction. The FA diets significantly decreased silage intake, increased milk yield, decreased milk protein content, increased the concentrations of C18:0, C18:1, and C20:1 and decreased those of C8-16, and C18:3 fatty acids in milk fat. The FA diets also increased the concentration of nonesterified fatty acids in plasma, and decreased the digestibility of organic matter and neutral detergent fibre but increased that of fat. Glycerol decreased the molar proportion of acetate and increased the molar proportions of propionate and butyrate in the rumen, but the addition of glycerol did not have any effect on silage intake, milk yield or milk composition. Milk yield was highest when glycerol and free fatty acids were given together, showing a positive interaction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrycja Rajtar ◽  
Marek Sady ◽  
Paweł Górka ◽  
Sylvia Kehoe ◽  
Piotr Micek

Abstract Grain from traditional varieties of rye is not commonly used in dairy cattle nutrition. However, new hybrid varieties of rye currently available are characterized by some nutritional and agrotechnical benefits. This paper deals with the hypothesis that rye grain derived from a hybrid variety may be an alternative for maize grain in diets for dairy cattle. Sixteen lactating Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were divided into two groups according to their parity (8 primi- and 8 multiparous), stage of lactation (106 ± 30 days after calving) and milk yield (34 ± 4 kg/day). Cows were fed a total mixed ration (TMR) containing grass silage and whole crop maize silage and 29.2% of the concentrate (in dry matter). The latter contained approximately 48% of either maize grain (M) or hybrid rye grain (HR) as a main source of cereal grain. Experimental diets were fed for 9-weeks. The use of HR as a substitute for M did not affect (P>0.05) dry matter intake and milk yield. There were no differences between treatment groups in the content of milk solids, amino acids, and fatty acid profile. However, substituting M by HR positively influenced composition of milk protein fractions by increasing the proportion of α-casein (37.0 vs 39.7%; P<0.01) and к-casein (6.5 vs 7.3%; P=0.02) as well as decreasing the proportion of β-casein (28.8 vs 27.8%; P=0.02) and sensory characteristics of the milk (body and texture and taste; P<0.05). In turn, the composition of the diet did not affect the technological suitability for processing of milk fat (acid and peroxide number, melting and solidification temperature), rennet coagulation time, heat stability or titratable acidity. This study has shown that hybrid rye grain may be an alternative for maize grain in a TMR based on grass and whole maize silage for mid-lactation dairy cows. Further studies are needed with higher proportion of hybrid rye grain in TMR or with other roughages used in a basal diet to fully determine efficiency of hybrid rye grain use in diets for dairy cows.


2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 ◽  
pp. 5-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.G. McIlmoyle ◽  
D.C. Patterson ◽  
D.J. Kilpatrick

In a previous experiment with dairy cows at this Institute, in which fodder beet was included as a third component of the diet along with grass silage and concentrate, fodder beet considerably increased metabolisable energy intake (MEI), but there was little effect on milk yield (unpublished data). The main objectives of the present study were to examine the effects of including fodder beet versus concentrate in a grass silage diet, on milk production, digestibility of nutrients and the utilization of nitrogen (N) and energy at equal ME intake in lactating dairy cattle.


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