More frequent allocation of herbage does not improve the milk production of dairy cows in early lactation

2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 593 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Dalley ◽  
J. R. Roche ◽  
P. J. Moate ◽  
C. Grainger
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Period 2 ◽  
Management Procedures ◽  
Daily Allowance

Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that offering a given daily allowance of herbage as smaller feeds more frequently than once per day will increase daily herbage intake and milk yield. In experiment 1 (spring 1995), cows in early lactation were offered either 40 or 65 kg DM/cow.day allowance of herbage as either 1 feed or as 6 equal feeds. The latter cows received a fresh strip of herbage at 0600, 0900, 1100, 1330, 1800 and 2000 hours. The experiment lasted 28 days with treatment effects being measured from days 15 to 28. There were no significant differences in herbage intake (15.6 v. 15.9 kg DM/cow.day), grazing time (9.4 v. 9.5 h/cow.day), milk production (25.4 v. 25.2 L/cow.day) or milk composition between the 1-feed treatment and 6-feed treatment, respectively, during the final 2 weeks of the experiment. Increasing herbage allowance increased (P<0.001) herbage intake. Liveweight loss during the experiment was less (P<0.05) for 6-feed cows than 1-feed cows. A similar experiment was conducted in 1996 (experiment 2); however, all cows were offered a single herbage allowance of 50 kg DM/cow.day. The frequencies of feeding were the same as in experiment 1 except that a new strip of herbage was offered to the 6-feed cows at 0800, 1130, 1700, 2030, 2400 and 0330 hours. The experiment comprised 2 intensive measurement periods, the first in weeks 1 and 2 (period 1) and the second in weeks 4 and 5 (period 2). Herbage intake did not differ between treatments averaging 15.2 and 16.3 kg DM/cow.day for the 1-feedtreatment and 6-feed treatment respectively. Milk yield declined from 27.1 L/cow.day in period l to 25.6 L/cow.day in period 2 and was lower for the 6-feed treatment than for the 1-feed treatment 25.7 and 26.7 L/cow.day, respectively. Offering fresh herbage to the 6-feed cows between 2000 and 0600 hours decreased the proportion of daylight hours these cows spent grazing but did not change total grazing time. Despite the adoption of extreme grazing management procedures in the experiments reported in this paper, we were unable to increase herbage intake or milk production of dairy cows in early lactation. It would appear that farmers have little opportunity to increase herbage intake in early lactation by increasing the frequency of allocation of pasture

Effect of protected casein supplements on pasture intake, milk yield and composition of cows in early lactation

1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1147 ◽  
Author(s):  
GL Rogers ◽  
RHD Porter ◽  
T Clarke ◽  
JA Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Protein ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Apparent Digestibility ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
High Quality

Thirty dairy cows in early lactation were individually fed in stalls on high quality pasture (Lolium peuenne, Dactylis glomerata and Trifoliium repens) and given either formaldehyde-treated casein or untreated casein at 1000 g/day. Nitrogen content and apparent digestibility of herbage nitrogen was 2.8 and 70.4% respectively. Treated casein significantly increased the yield of milk by 13 % and milk protein by 15 % although neither supplement affected milk composition. High-producing cows showed a greater response to formaldehyde-treated casein, with increases in milk yield of 0.5 �0.14 kg per kg increase in level of milk production. Increases in milk synthesis were associated with increased efficiency in utilization of nutrients and not with changes in pasture intake. The results support the hypothesis that formaldehyde-treated casein provided more protein for duodenal digestion and thereby increased the supply of essential amino acids which were limiting milk production. It is concluded that milk synthesis in cows fed solely on high quality pasture in early lactation is limited by the amount of protein absorbed post-ruminally.

Effect of Herbal Galactogogue (Sanjivani biokseera) on Milk Yield and Milk Constituents in Lactating Kankrej Cattle at Organised Farm

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (02) ◽  
pp. 39-41
Author(s):  
H H Panchasara ◽  
A B Chaudhari ◽  
D A Patel ◽  
Y M Gami ◽  
M P Patel
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Nutritional Requirements ◽  
Not Given ◽  
Distinct Effect ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Group I ◽  
Effect Of Feeding

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding herbal galactogogue preparation (Sanjivani biokseera) on the milk yield and milk constituents in lactating Kankrej cows. Thirty-two lactating Kankrej cows in their 1st to 6th lactation were taken for the experiment from 3 days after calving up to 52 days postpartum. All the animals were fed as per the standard seasonally available roughages and concentrates to meet their nutritional requirements. The cows were randomly divided into two uniform groups of 16 cows in each according to initial milk yield and milk composition. The animals in group-I were not given any supplement and served as control. The animals in group-II were given Sanjivani biokseera (Naturewell Industries) @ 60 g per day for 1-month, commencing 3 days after calving, in addition to the usual feeds/fodders. A clear difference was observed in milk yield from day 8 onward of experiment between groups with significant (plessthan0 0.05) higher values from day 16-52 in cows fed herbal galactogogue as compared to control, but no such distinct effect on milk constituents was observed on day 52 when analyzed. The use of herbal galactogogue significantly (p lessthan 0.05) increased the overall average of 52 days milk production, which was 9.34 ± 0.21 lit/day in supplemented as compared to 7.75 ± 0.26 lit/day in control animals. It was concluded that herbal galactogogue (Sanjivani biokseera) could increase milk yield in lactating dairy cows through its galactopoetic property and improved rumen environment.

The use of short-term secretion rate measurements for estimating the milk production of suckler cows

1978 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. L. P. Le Du ◽  
R. D. Baker ◽  
J. M. Barker
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Secretion Rate ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Beef Cow ◽  
Total Milk ◽  
Fat Yield ◽  
Good Agreement

SummaryTwo experiments with dairy cows and one with suckler cows and their calves were conducted to examine the use of secretion rate measurements for estimating total milk production. In the first experiment both 4- and 6- h intervals between measurements gave similar estimates of total 7-d milk yield. The second experiment compared estimated and measured milk composition as well as yield. Milk and solids-not-fat yields were underestimated with dairy cows as a result of an extended milking interval before measurement. However, fat yield was overestimated, indicating that all residual milk was not removed at the first oxytocinaided milking. It was concluded that for the beef cow, previous interval effects would be eliminated by the frequency of calf suckling, but that residual milk effects might cause a 3–6% and a 16% overestimation of milk and fat yields respectively.In the third experiment, the milk yield of suckler cows was estimated from measurements of secretion rate and from changes in calf weight; good agreement was obtained provided there were at least 3 consecutive controlled sucklings.

The effects of feeding different starch sources and concentrations on milk production of high yielding Holstein cows

2001 ◽  
Vol 2001 ◽  
pp. 192-192
Author(s):  
R.E. Lawson ◽  
A.R. Moss ◽  
C. Rymer ◽  
J.S. Blake
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Protein Concentration ◽  
Milk Protein ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Starch Concentration ◽  
Maize Grain ◽  
Ground Wheat

Mansbridge (1995) reported that replacing ground wheat with a mix of ground wheat and maize grain increased milk protein concentration, which led the authors to speculate that increased inclusion of maize grain increased rumen by-pass starch. Indeed, de Visseret al(1990) reported that feeding less rapidly degradable starches has led to increased milk protein concentration.The objective of this study was to examine the effects of starch concentration and source on feed intake, milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows.

scholarly journals Productive and physiological responses of lactating dairy cows supplemented with phytogenic feed ingredients1

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 1133-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo O Rodrigues ◽  
Reinaldo F Cooke ◽  
Franciele C Firmino ◽  
Mayara K R Moura ◽  
Beatriz F Angeli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Physiological Responses ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Clinical Mastitis ◽  
Serum Concentrations ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Ground Corn

Abstract This experiment compared milk production, milk composition, and physiological responses in lactating dairy cows supplemented with or without a mixture of condensed tannins, encapsulated cinnamaldehyde, curcumin, capsaicin, and piperine. Thirty-six lactating, multiparous, pregnant ¾ Holstein × ¼ Gir cows were maintained in a single drylot pen with ad libitum access to water and a total-mixed ration and were milked twice daily (d –7 to 84). On d 0, cows were ranked by days in milk (86 ± 3 d), milk yield (27.8 ± 1.0 kg), body weight (BW; 584 ± 10 kg), and body condition score (BCS; 3.04 ± 0.06) and assigned to receive (SUPP; n = 18) or not (CON; n = 18) 30 g/cow daily (as-fed basis) of Actifor Pro (Delacon Biotechnik GmbH; Steyregg, Austria). From d 0 to 84, SUPP cows individually received (as-fed basis) 15 g of Actifor Pro mixed with 85 g of finely ground corn through self-locking headgates before each milking of the day. Each CON cow concurrently received 85 g (as-fed basis) of finely ground corn through self-locking headgates. Throughout the experimental period (d –7 to 84), cows from both treatments were administered 500 mg of sometribove zinc at 14-d intervals and were monitored daily for morbidity, including clinical mastitis. Individual milk production was recorded daily, whereas milk samples were collected weekly for analysis of milk composition. Cow BW, BCS, and blood samples were also collected weekly. Cows receiving SUPP gained more BCS (P = 0.05) and had greater (P = 0.04) milk yield during the experiment compared with CON cows (0.22 vs. 0.07 of BCS, SEM = 0.05; 29.5 vs. 27.9 kg/d, SEM = 0.5). Milk composition did not differ (P ≥ 0.15) between SUPP and CON cows; hence, SUPP cows also had greater (P ≤ 0.02) production of fat-corrected and energy-corrected milk. Incidence of clinical mastitis did not differ (P ≥ 0.49) between SUPP and CON cows. No treatment differences were also detected (P ≥ 0.21) for serum concentrations of glucose and serum urea N. Mean serum haptoglobin concentration during the experiment was greater (P = 0.05) in CON vs. SUPP cows. Cows receiving SUPP had less (P ≤ 0.04) serum cortisol concentrations on d 21 and 42, and greater (P ≤ 0.05) serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I on d 7, 35, and 63 compared with CON cows (treatment × day interactions; P ≤ 0.02). Collectively, supplementing phytogenic feed ingredients improved nutritional status and milk production of lactating ¾ Holstein × ¼ Gir cows.

Responses to grain feeding by grazing dairy cows

1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 541 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. Robaina ◽  
C. Grainger ◽  
P. Moate ◽  
J. Taylor ◽  
J. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Difference Method ◽  
Protein Concentration ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Supplementary Feeding ◽  
Sampling Techniques ◽  
Grazing Dairy Cows ◽  
Yield Responses

Summary. Two experiments were conducted on feeding grain supplements to dairy cows during summer. In experiment 1, dairy cows in mid–late lactation were offered one of 2 pasture allowances (about 20 and 40 kg DM/cow.day) with and without a supplement of a grain mix (5 kg of a 70 : 30 mixture of barley and lupins). This experiment was conducted twice over 2 consecutive summer–autumn periods (years 1 and 2). Milk yields were higher at the high pasture allowance and with grain feeding. The marginal response to grain feeding (kg milk/kg grain DM consumed) was 0.7 at both pasture allowances in year 1, and 1.1 and 0.8 at the low and high pasture allowance, respectively, in year 2. Diet had no significant effect on milk composition. Pasture intake was reduced by supplementary feeding and the level of substitution depended on pasture allowance. The alkane-based and sward sampling techniques were used to estimate pasture intake and diet digestibility. Estimates of pasture substitution, based on measurements made with the alkane technique, were 0.3 and 0.6 kg DM reduction in pasture/kg DM grain consumed at the low and high pasture allowance, respectively, in both years. In year 1, the pasture substitution measured with the pasture difference method was 1 kg pasture DM/kg grain DM at both pasture allowances. In year 2, estimates of substitution calculated using the pasture difference method were 0.2 and 0.5 kg pasture DM/kg grain DM at the low and high pasture allowance respectively. In the second experiment (year 3), the effects of level of feeding barley on pasture intake, diet digestibility and milk production were measured during summer. The 4 levels of grain consumed were 0, 1.8, 3.4 and 6.7 kg barley DM/cow. day. Higher grain intake resulted in higher milk yield, higher protein concentration and yields of fat, protein and lactose. Milk yield responses per kilogram of barley diminished from 1.6 at the low barley intake to 0.8 kg milk/kg barley DM at the highest barley intake. It is suggested that higher levels of substitution and a potentially less efficient use of grain contributed to the poorer production responses at higher levels of grain feeding.

scholarly journals Association of Body Condition Score and Score Change during the Late Dry Period on Temporal Patterns of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Concentration and Milk Yield and Composition in Early Lactation of Dairy Cows

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1054
Author(s):  
Zelmar Rodriguez ◽  
Elise Shepley ◽  
Pedro P. C. Ferro ◽  
Nilon L. Moraes ◽  
Acir M. Antunes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Early Lactation ◽  
Dry Period ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Beta Hydroxybutyrate

Monitoring the body condition score (BCS) of dairy cows is a management strategy that can assist dairy producers in decision-making. The BCS and its variations reflect the level of body fat reserves and fat mobilization throughout the different stages of lactation. Cows that mobilize excessive amounts of fat reserves in response to the increased energy requirements of the transition period are more likely to have higher beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration in blood, leading to a higher incidence of hyperketonemia postpartum. In this study, our main objective was to evaluate how both BCS (at 21 d prior to the expected calving date, −21 BCS) and change in BCS during the late dry period (−21 d to calving, ∆BCS) are associated with temporal patterns of blood BHB concentrations during the first two weeks of lactation. Our secondary objective was to characterize the relationship between the change in BCS in the late dry period, and milk yield and milk composition in the first milk test postpartum. In this retrospective cohort study, we assessed BCS at 21 (±3) days before the expected calving date and within three days after calving. Blood BHB concentration was measured at days 3 (±1), 7 (±1), and 14 (±1) postpartum. Hyperketonemia (HYK) was defined as blood BHB ≥ 1.2 mmol/L. To evaluate how −21 BCS and ∆BCS during the late dry period were associated with BHB in early lactation, linear mixed-effects regression models with an unstructured covariate matrix were performed. The association between ∆BCS and incidence of postpartum HYK were determined using a multivariable log-binomial model. A linear regression model was used to evaluate the association between ∆BCS and milk yield and milk composition in the first monthly test-day. Covariates used for model adjustment include parity, season, and baseline BCS. We observed that cows with BCS ≥ 4.0 at 21 d before their expected calving date had the highest BHB concentration postpartum, but no evidence that BCS ≥ 4.0 at 21 d was associated with fluctuations of BHB over time. Cows that experienced a large BCS loss (larger than 0.5 units) during the late dry period had a 61% (95% CI: 1.04, 2.50) higher risk of developing HYK in early lactation and had higher BHB concentrations during early lactation compared with cows with no ∆BCS prepartum. These associations were observed independently of the BCS at −21 d prepartum (baseline). In addition, cows that lost more than 0.5 BCS unit in the late dry period produced 3.3 kg less milk (95% CI: −7.06, 0.45) at the first milk test compared to cows that had no ∆BCS during the late dry period. No evidence of an association between −21 BCS and ∆BCS in the late dry period and milk composition was observed in our study. These results suggest that dynamic measures of BCS during the late dry period, such as ∆BCS, are better at evaluating blood BHB patterns in early lactation than BCS measured at a single time point. Cows with larger BCS loss during the late dry period and with greater parity are more likely to have higher concentrations of blood BHB postpartum, with the highest concentrations reported at 7 d post-calving.

scholarly journals Effects of Supplementing Rumen-Protected Methionine on Production Performance, Apparent Digestibility, Blood Parameters, Ruminal Metabolites and Economic Effectiveness in Lactating Holstein Dairy Cows

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jialin Wei ◽  
Mengying Dou ◽  
Shuai Liu ◽  
Bichuan Yan ◽  
Cuiyu Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Blood Parameters ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Economic Effectiveness ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
Apparent Digestibility ◽  
Holstein Dairy Cows

Abstract Background: Because of disadvantages of excessive dietary crude protein (CP), decreasing dietary CP of dairy cows has attracted the worldwide attention. Rumen protected methionine (RPM) supplementation can allow lower CP diets and is beneficial to milk production performance, N efficiency of cows and environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of reducing dietary CP and supplementing RPM on production, digestibility of nutrients, blood parameters, ruminal metabolites and economic effectiveness in lactating Holstein dairy cows. Results: A total of 96 lactating cows (63 ± 25 d in milk; 34.4 ± 5.74 kg/d of milk production; mean ± SD) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: diet containing 17.3% CP without RPM (control group; CON; n = 49); diet containing 16.4% CP with supplementing 15.0 g/d of RPM (treatment group; RPM; n = 47). No effect was observed of reducing dietary CP on milk yield and milk composition. The apparent digestibility of nutrients was similar between treatments. The results related to blood showed that cows in RPM group exhibited lower concentration of blood urea nitrogen than that in CON group (P < 0.001). Moreover, there were no differences between treatments on concentrations of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, globulin and albumin. In ruminal metabolites, microbial crude protein (MCP) of dairy cows in RPM group was higher compared with CON group (P = 0.006). Ruminal volatile fatty acid (VFA) contents were not changed by treatments except that the concentrations of butyrate and isovalerate of RPM group were higher than that of CON group at 2 h after feeding (P < 0.05). In addition, supplying the diet of 16.4% CP with RPM supplementation to cows could reduce feeding cost by 0.5 $/d per cow and boost net profits. Conclusions: Lower dietary CP with RPM supplementation did not limit milk yield, milk composition and apparent digestibility of nutrients, and could improve nitrogen utilization of dairy cows and synthesis of MCP in rumen, change VFA production at 2 h after feeding, as well as boost the economic benefits of the dairy farms.

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