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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #198724
Title: FEED A POUND OF FAT STRATEGY TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY OF DAIRY COWS

Author
item RICHARDS, B - UTAH STATE UNIV.-LOGAN
item DHIMAN, T - UTAH STATE UNIV.-LOGAN
item Mertens, David
item YOUNG, A - UTAH STATE UNIV.-LOGAN
item SOLORZANO, L - MILK SPECIALTIES CO, DUND

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2006
Publication Date: 7/9/2006
Citation: Richards, B.F., Dhiman, T.R., Mertens, D.R., Young, A.J., Solorzano, L.C. 2006. Feed a pound of fat strategy to improve productivity of dairy cows [abstract]. Journal of Dairy Science 89 (Supplement 1):61.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the influence of increasing the forage in the diet, while maintaining the energy level through supplemental fat, on production, health and reproductive efficiency of dairy cows. Forty-five Holstein cows were blocked according to expected due date and milk yield of previous lactation. Cows within blocks were assigned to 3 treatments and fed a standard diet for the first 15-20 d of lactation. The experiment lasted for 15 wk. During the experiment cows were fed either a diet containing 43% forage (CTL), 56% forage without fat supplement (FR), or 56% forage with fat supplement (1.61% of diet; FRF). Forage and fat supplement were added by replacing corn grain. Calculated energy and metabolizable protein contents of the diets were 1.57, 1.57, and 1.62 Mcal NEL /kg and 11.7, 11.6, 11.5% of diet DM in the CTL, FR and FRF, respectively. Weekly milk samples from 2 milkings were analyzed for composition. Cows ate 25.3ab, 26.1a, and 23.1b kg DM/d (DMI; P=0.06) and produced 36.4b, 39.4a, and 38 .9a kg/d of energy corrected milk (ECM) in CTL, FR and FRF, respectively (P=0.01). The DMI as a percent of BW were 3.19a, 3.11a, and 2.83b (P=0.06) in CTL, FR and FRF, respectively. Gross feed efficiencies (ECM/DMI) were 1.52b, 1.59ab, and 1.79a (P=0.01) for the CTL, FR, and FRF, respectively. Milk fat and protein contents were 3.53, 3.67, 3.71% (P=0.17) and 2.88a, 2 76b, and 2.77b% (P=0.03) in the CTL, FR and FRF, respectively. Daily fat and protein yields were 1.27b, 1.44a, and 1.45a kg (P=0.001) and 1.03, 1.08, and 1.06 kg/d (P=0.44) for CTL, FR and FRF, respectively. Cows gained 37.6, 13.6, and 28.6 kg (P=0.13) during the experiment in CTL, FR and FRF, respectively. No noticeable trends were detected in health and reproductive parameters among treatments. Cows fed a diet high in forage with supplemental fat consumed less feed than cows fed high grain diet and produced the same amount of milk. Feeding high forage diets decreased protein content of the milk, however protein yield was not different. Feeding a pound of fat to cows fed high forage diets improved feed utilization efficiency while maintaining milk production.