Effect of pasture feeding levels on the responses of lactating dairy cows to high energy supplements

1989 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 605 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale ◽  
TE Trigg

Stall-fed dairy cows were fed amounts of pasture ranging from 6.7 to 11.8 kg DM/cow.day and supplemented with either 0, 2.2 or 4.5 kg DM/cow.day of pelleted concentrates. Twenty-eight cows in their third month of lactation and 29 cows in their eighth month of lactation were fed in this manner for about 5 weeks. Stage of lactation had a major influence on responses obtained from feeding a high energy supplement to pasture-fed cows. In early lactation, for cows fed 6.8 kg DM, marginal responses from feeding an additional kg DM of concentrates were 1.85, 0.053 and 0.059 kg milk, milk fat and milk protein, respectively; if they were fed 11.7 kg DM of pasture, marginal responses from concentrates were more than halved (0.58 kg milk, 0.019 kg milk fat and 0.027 kg milk protein per kg DM). The latter response to concentrates, where high levels of pasture were fed to cows in early lactation, were less than those obtained in late lactation at any level of pasture feeding.

1987 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 927 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale ◽  
A Callaghan ◽  
TE Trigg

Five experiments were done in which stall-fed dairy cows were provided with a basal ration of pasture (6-7 kg DM) which was supplemented with varying amounts of a pelleted, high energy supplement (0-10 kg DM). Forty-seven cows at various stages of lactation were fed in this manner for up to 5 weeks. Responses to feeding the supplement depended on the stage of lactation at which the supplement was fed, and the amount of the supplement consumed. Marginal responses in milk production fell from 1.6 to 0.7 kg milk per kg supplement as lactation progressed, and as the level of feeding increased. Although responses in milk fat yield also decreased as lactation advanced, there was also a reduction in milk fat production when more than about 6 kg DM of supplement were fed. This was due to a severe depression in the fat content of the milk, which was found to be associated with intakes of diets with less than 250 g kg DM-1 neutral detergent fibre; diets with less than this level of fibre resulted in ratios of lipogenic to glucogenic volatile fatty acids in the rumen below 4:1. This occurred when the supplement constituted 0.4-0.5 of the diet on a dry matter basis. In addition, rumen ammonia levels were low when large amounts of supplement were fed. With all rumen characteristics, stage of lactation had no influence on values.


Author(s):  
D. Tristant ◽  
C. A. Moran

SummaryThe following trial was conducted to evaluate the impact of feeding Yea-Sacc® (YS; Alltech Inc, USA), a zootechnical feed additive based on a live probiotic strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to lactating dairy cows over a 12 week period. Sixty-four primiparous and multiparous Holstein dairy cows, grouped to give similar range of parity, physiological and milk production stages, were selected for the study. Cows were equally allocated to either a control feed group or a diet supplemented with YS (32 cows per treatment). The test diet was formulated to include YS (Yea-Sacc® Farm Pak) incorporated in the total mixed ration (TMR), supplying a target dose of 5 × 107 CFU/kg feed dry matter (DM). This target dose delivered 1 × 109 CFU/cow/day, for a cow consuming 20 kg feed (DM basis) daily. Each cow was considered a replicate unit. Cows were fed a nutritionally adequate total TMR plus hay and a supplementary protein/energy concentrate (calculated according to milk yield) for 12 weeks, supplied once a day after the morning milking. Weigh backs of feed were recorded daily, with refusals being maintained at 3% of the total intake. During the 12 week study period, YS had significant beneficial effects on milk production (+0.8 kg/day; P = 0.003), energy corrected milk production (+1.4 kg/day; P < 0.0001), synthesis of milk protein (+36 g/day; P = 0.001), milk protein content (+0.3 g/kg; P = 0.009), and milk urea content (−0.09 mg/l; P = 0.004). The synthesis of milk fat was similar between treatments but milk fat content was lower for the YS group compared to the control group (−1.1 g/kg; P = 0.0002). Lactose content was always higher (+0.8 g/kg; P < 0.0001) for the YS group, indicating enhanced energy utilisation. In general, the effect of YS was higher during the first study period (one to seven weeks), when cows were in early lactation and the production potential was higher. YS cows produced significantly more milk during the study, and an additional 220 kg milk per cow was sold from this group from the output measured from the beginning of the study to two weeks post-trial. However, the statistical analysis including the post-study period did not show a significant effect. The 305-day simulated milk production was higher for the YS group (+400 kg/cow) but again the difference was not significant. In conclusion, YS at a target dose of 5 × 107 CFU/kg DM improved milk production and milk quality in healthy dairy cows. In addition, when the data were included in a whole-farm model, feeding YS reduced methane emissions by 4%, reduced the number of animals required for the desired milk production by 4% and increased overall farm margins by 1.4%.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (10) ◽  
pp. 2100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Fahey ◽  
John M. Morton ◽  
Martin J. Auldist ◽  
Keith L. Macmillan

High milk protein concentrations (MP%) have been positively associated with the reproductive performance of lactating dairy cows. No studies have measured the effects of this association on subsequent calving dates in multiparous cows, nor assessed whether the underlying causal mechanisms are present in nulliparous heifers. Holstein cows (primiparous = 918; multiparous = 4242) were selected from herds that had seasonally concentrated calving patterns resulting from seasonally restricted breeding periods. In seasonally calving herds, the date of a herd’s planned start of calving (PSC date) is the average gestation length of 282 days after the date that the preceding breeding period commenced, so that the interval from the herd’s PSC date to each cow’s actual calving date (PSC-to-calving interval) primarily reflects the time to conception from the start of the breeding period in the previous year. This measure was used to compare associations between the average MP% during the first 120 days of lactation and time to the calving that initiated that lactation in primiparous and multiparous cows. Early lactation MP% was negatively associated with PSC-to-calving interval. A 1% difference in MP% was associated with an 8-day difference in the average PSC-to-calving interval in primiparous cows and a 31–35-day difference in the average interval in multiparous cows. The observed associations between early lactation MP% and PSC-to-calving interval are likely to involve determinants present during a cow’s breeding period that affect the probability of conception. Some of these determinants are not restricted to early lactation as the association between MP% and PSC-to-calving interval in primiparous cows is a reflection of the reproductive performance in nulliparous heifers at ~15 months of age.


1990 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale ◽  
R Currie ◽  
TE Trigg

An experiment was conducted in which 30 stall-fed dairy cows were fed a basal ration of either good or poor quality pasture (approx. 7 kg DM) and supplemented with varying amounts of either crushed wheat or a pelleted. high energy supplement (0, 4 kg/clay or ad libitum). The cows were in their third month of lactation and were fed their allotted rations for 5 weeks. Where no supplements were fed, the approximate 9% difference in digestibility between pasture types resulted in differences in daily production of 2.4 kg milk/cow, 0.07 kg milk fat/cow and 0.06 kg milk protein/cow, and a difference of 0.4 units of body condition over a 5-week period. Where supplements were fed, responses depended on the interaction between a supplement and basal ration. With good quality pasture as the basal ration, the type of supplement was not important; marginal returns of milk products to extra feeding were similar for both supplements, for example, 1.0 kg milk/cow.day was produced for each additional kg of concentrate consumed. There was a reduction in milk fat production when more than about 5-6 kg DM of supplement was fed. This was due to a depression in the fat content of the milk which was associated with low dietary fibre (<250 g/kg of dietary neutral detergent fibre). However. when pellets were fed to cows offered poor quality pasture. a reduction in milk fat yield did not occur. When wheat supplemented poor quality pasture, on the other hand, deficiencies other than fibre were implicated. While fibre was the most important limitation to productivity when good quality pasture was supplemented with concentrates, protein was the most likely nutrient to limit productivity first when poor quality pasture formed the basal ration. The potential exists for major imbalances of nutrients to occur unless the composition of dietary components is known.


1999 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. W. J. Keady ◽  
C. S. Mayne ◽  
D. A. Fitzpatrick ◽  
M. Marsden

AbstractThe effects of energy source and level of digestible undegraded protein (DUP) in concentrates on silage intake and performance of lactating dairy cows, offered one of a range of grass silages differing in digestibility and intake characteristics, were evaluated in a partially balanced change-over design experiment involving 48 cows. Four silages were prepared using differing management practices prior to and during ensiling. All silages were treated with an inoculant additive. For silages A, В, С and D, dry matter (DM) concentrations were 199, 320, 313 and 223 (s.e. 4.6) g/kg, pH values 3.82, 4.03, 4·03 and 5·27 (s.e. 0.056), ammonia nitrogen (N) concentrations 58, 122, 66 and 356 (s.e. 13.2) g/kg total N and in vivo DM apparent digestibilities 077, 0.75 , 0.60 and 0.60 (s.e. 0·013) respectively. When offered as the sole diet to 12 dairy cows in a partially balanced change-over design experiment, silage DM intakes were 14.7, 14.7, 12.7 and 10.5 (s.e. 0·36) kg/day respectively for silages А, В, С and D. Six concentrates containing three starch concentrations, each at two levels of DUP, were formulated to have similar concentrations of crude protein, metabolizable energy (ME) and fermentable ME. For the low and high starch concentrates and low and high levels of DUP, starch concentrations were 22·5 and 273 g/kg DM and DUP levels were 44 and 60 g/kg DM respectively. Silages were offered ad libitum supplemented with 10 kg fresh concentrate per head per day. For silages А, В, С and D, DM intakes were 10.8, 11.2, 10·7 and 9·1 (s.e. 0·26) kg/day and milk yields 29.0, 27.6, 27.1 and 25.7 (s.e. 0.69) kg/day respectively. With the exception of milk protein concentration there were no significant (P> 0.05) silage type by concentrate energy source and/or level of DUP interactions on silage intake, milk output or composition. Concentrate energy source had no effect (P> 0.05) on silage DM intake, the yields of milk, fat, protein or fat plus protein or milk fat concentration. However, increasing starch concentration increased milk protein concentration (P< 0·001), urinary allantoin concentration (P< 0·01) and diet apparent digestibility (P< 0·001). Altering concentrate DUP level had no effect (P> 0·05) on silage DM intake, yields of milk, protein, fat or fat plus protein, milk f at concentrations or diet apparent digestibility. Increasing the level of DUP decreased milk protein (P< 0·05) concentration. It is concluded that with silages of varying digestibility, fermentation and intake characteristics, there were no concentrate energy source and/or level of DUP by silage type interactions on silage intake, milk yield or composition, or diet apparent digestibility with the exception of a silage type by concentrate level of DUP interaction on milk protein concentration. With out-of-parlour feeding of concentrates the results of the present study suggest that there is no evidence to justify the formulation of concentrates differing in energy source or level of DUP to complement individual silage types.


1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 487-493
Author(s):  
P. H. Robinson

Primiparous lactating dairy cows were utilized in two experiments to evaluate productive benefits of modifying the strategy of feeding a mixed concentrate fed as a supplement to an all-forage mixed ration (exp. 1), and to evaluate the productive benefit of modifying the sequence of feeding two supplementary grains, with differing rates of rumen fermentation, in relation to a high-forage (60.8% of dry matter) mixed ration (exp. 2). Results of exp. 1 did not demonstrate differences in production parameters as a result of modifying the strategy of feeding supplemental concentrate to include a night feeding at 02:30, either in replacement of, or in addition to, a more traditional feeding time of 21:00. Results of exp. 2 did not demonstrate significant changes in production parameters by feeding supplemental grain subsequent to a high-forage mixed ration, as opposed to before it, regardless of the rumen fermentability of the grain. However, rumen fermentability of the grain did influence milk yield and its components. These data demonstrate that manipulating supplemental concentrate allocation strategy, or supplemental grain feeding sequences relative to forage, under the conditions of these experiments, are not of practical importance in primiparous dairy cows. Key words: Management, strategy, sequence, dairy cattle


1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Stockdale

Eight experiments were conducted over 2 years with 92 lactating dairy cows individually fed various combinations of irrigated perennial pasture and maize silage in an indoor feeding facility. Responses to different amounts of maize silage and pasture in early and late lactation were measured. Daily pasture intake ranged from 6.2 to 12.4 kg dry matter (DM)/cow, while maize silage intake ranged from 0 to 12.4 kg DM/cow. The marginal return to feeding maize silage at up to 5 kg DM/cow.day to cows in early lactation eating about 7 kg DM/day of pasture as their basal ration was 0.89 kg extra milk for each kg DM maize silage eaten. In late lactation, this was reduced to 0.63 kg milk/kg DM. Milk yield responses to maize silage at both stages of lactation were lower at higher levels of pasture feeding. Although milk fat content was maintained over a wide range of maize silage, feeding large quantities of maize silage in early lactation was detrimental to milk production. The likely explanation for poor animal performance at the high levels of maize silage was dietary protein insufficiency.


Author(s):  
D E Beever ◽  
J D Sutton ◽  
D J Thomson ◽  
D J Napper ◽  
D L Gale

In the previous paper, Sutton et al. (1985) examined the effect of concentrate type on the performance of lactating dairy cows and reported significant effects with respect to silage intake and milk protein concentration. In this experiment, conducted in parallel with that reported by Sutton et al. (1988), the effect of concentrate type on nutrient digestion in the rumen and protein supply to the tissues of lactating cows was examined, although the comparison was restricted to examination of the high protein diets only.


2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 ◽  
pp. 193-193
Author(s):  
R.E. Lawson ◽  
R. Derrick ◽  
J.S. Blake

The feed intake of high yielding, early lactation Holstein cows is often inadequate to meet the animal’s requirements for energy and a more concentrated energy source is essential. Oil has a high energy content, so feeds containing oil can help increase the overall concentration of energy in the diet. However, high oil inclusions can lower milk fat and protein level.The objective of this study was to examine the effects of the addition of increasing levels of oil to a molasses blend (4 kg/cow/day) on feed intake, milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows.


2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 391-401
Author(s):  
P.H. Robinson

The amount of milk Canadian dairy farmers produce is limited to a production quota expressed in milk fat. Because milk economic value is primarily based on fat and protein, it can be advantageous to decrease the milk fat to protein ratio. Monensin sodium has been suggested to reduce milk fat proportion and outputs, but not milk protein. Publications using lactating dairy cows were utilized to assess predictability of production responses to monensin feeding based upon their base production characteristics and diet composition. Predicted animal output changes due to monensin had poor fits with low r2 (0.31–0.44) and unevenly distributed residuals. Further assessment revealed that cow characteristics, and diets, were not independent of monensin feeding level. Thus, the 43 comparisons were clustered into levels of 10–12, 14–18, or 20–24 mg kg−1 of diet dry matter (DM). Milk fat yield reductions due to monensin differed (P < 0.05; 10–12 and 14–18 mg kg−1 DM), or tended to differ (P = 0.057; 20–24 mg kg−1 DM), from zero (i.e., no change). Monensin addition to total mixed rations of lactating dairy cows negatively impacted milk fat yield to a greater extent than milk protein.


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