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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Dairy Forage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #350761
Research Project: Forage Characteristics and Utilization that Improve Efficiency of Growth, Performance, Nutrient Use, and Environmental Impacts of Dairy Production

Location: Dairy Forage Research

Title: Effect of source and processing of protein feedstuffs pelleted with treated corn stover in dairy cow diets

Author
item OSTENDORF, KENDRA - University Of Wisconsin
item Kalscheur, Kenneth

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/7/2018
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Corn stover treated with alkaline and pelleted with protein may lower feed costs and partially replace a variety of concentrate feeds in dairy cow diets. The objective was to evaluate treated corn stover pelleted with different sources and processing of protein feedstuffs on lactation performance and rumen characteristics. Twenty lactating Holstein cows were enrolled in a multiple 5×5 Latin square design with 21 day periods and randomly assigned to 1 of 5 treatments: 1) control diet with no pellets (CON), 2) treated corn stover with extrusion processed soybean meal pellets, 3) treated corn stover with unprocessed soybean meal pellets, 4) treated corn stover with extrusion processed dried distillers grains with solubles pellets, and 5) treated corn stover with unprocessed dried distillers grains with solubles pellets. All diets were formulated to contain 53.5% forage and 46.5% concentrate (DM basis). For pellet diets, inclusion rate was maintained at 20% (DM basis) and replaced 40% ground corn, 32.5% canola meal, 25% soybean hulls, and 2.5% limestone. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Dry matter intake (DMI) was greater (P<0.001) for cows fed CON diet (30.8 kg/d) than cows fed pellet diets (27.1, 26.4, 26.2, 26.5 kg/d). Cows fed CON diet were greater (P < 0.001) in milk yield compared to cows fed pellet diets (47.5 vs. 42.4, 42.7, 43.0, 42.8 kg/d). However, DMI and milk yield did not differ for cows fed the pellet diets (P>0.10). Milk fat and lactose percentages were unaffected (P>0.10) across all five treatments, while cows fed CON diet produced greater milk protein percentage than cows fed pellet diets (P<0.001). Feed efficiency (energy-corrected milk/DMI) tended (P=0.08) to increase for cows fed pellet diets compared to cows fed CON diet. There were no differences in total ruminal VFA for cows fed CON vs pellet diets (P>0.10), however; protein processing decreased ruminal acetate and increased propionate percentages (P<0.01). At 20% inclusion rate in the diet, there does not appear to be an advantage of one pellet over the other in terms of performance.