Dairy Rations Flashcards
What best determines productivity of lactating dairy cows?
Feeding
Feed represents how much of total feed cost?
~50%
Nutrient requirements for ____ are often several times the requirements for ____
lactation
maintenance
More variation exists in ____ content than ____ among various forages and concentrates
protein
energy
What to use when balancing dairy cow rations
NEL, CP, and fiber content
Can a producing dairy cow eat enough forage to meet her nutrient needs during lactation?
No
Feed intake may be stimulated by:
feeding several times per day
providing a variety of forages
Concentrate mixture includes:
grains
milk feeds
protein supplements
minerals
The mixture fed will depend on:
forage being fed (low protein forage = high protein concentrate)
availability
cost
Amount of concentrate fed will depend on:
amount of forage consumed
amount of milk produced
composition (% fat) of milk produced
Limit concentrate to a maximum of ____ regardless of comparative costs
65%
What happens when more than 65% of concentrate is consumed?
change in VFA production causing a decrease in milk fat
Concentrate intake can be affected by
palatability
time available to consume
Describe early lactation
- milk production rapidly increases, peaking at 6-8 weeks after calving
- increase grain intake to meet energy requirements, but avoid excessive levels (<65% of total DM)
- extra dietary protein allows more efficient use of body fat for milk production since cows are usually losing BW
- limit urea to 0.4-0.5 lb/d
Describe peak lactation
- max intake is reached at ~12-14 weeks and cows should be kept at peak lactation as long as possible
- grain intake may reach 2.5% BW, forage intake should be at least 1-1.25% BW to maintain rumen function
- feed several times daily
Describe mid- to late lactation
- milk production is declining, cow is pregnant
- match grain intake to milk production ; avoid wasteful grain feeding to low producers
- avoid overconditioning