Source: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
IMPROVING FEED EFFICIENCY THROUGH HIGH FORAGE RATIONS AS A FEEDING STRATEGY TO INCREASE THE PROFITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF DAIRY PRODUCTION
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0231645
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2012
Project End Date
Dec 1, 2016
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
PO BOX 2275A
BROOKINGS,SD 57007
Performing Department
Dairy Science
Non Technical Summary
Costs of grain and various feed ingredients have increased dramatically in recent years. In addition, the availability of certain commodities has become scarce in certain parts of the country. The result is that rations fed to livestock and in particular, lactating dairy cows, have risen dramatically in cost. The current cost to produce a hundred kg of milk is below the current milk price and therefore, the profitability of the dairy industry is negative, and producers are again losing equity. In the past, commodities and/or by-products have been used to reduce ration costs and improve profitability of the dairy operation. However, even these commodities are increasing in cost due to value and availability relative to corn and soybean meal. Therefore, new ways must be found to reduce feed costs to regain profitability and sustainability of the dairy industry to compete on a world market. Feed efficiency is one way to improve the profitability and sustainability of the dairy operation. Feed efficiency is defined as the unit of milk produced per unit of dry matter intake. The energy content of the ration is the greatest factor affecting the feed efficiency of the lactating dairy cow. The greatest factor(s) affecting the energy density of the diet are the digestibilities of the forages in the ration. Forages are the cheapest and most economical sources of nutrients on the farm when compared to grains, proteins, and various commodities sources. Therefore, increasing forage nutrient availability will increase their economic value relative to other commodities or by-products. The use of highly digestible forages may allow one to increase the amount used in the ration to meet the nutrient requirements of high producing dairy cows. In addition, meeting the nutrient requirements of dairy cows in later lactation may also be advantageous in order to reduce feed cost to improve profitability.
Animal Health Component
90%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
5%
Applied
90%
Developmental
5%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3023410101025%
3023410106010%
3053410101025%
3053410106010%
3073410101020%
3073410106010%
Knowledge Area
302 - Nutrient Utilization in Animals; 305 - Animal Physiological Processes; 307 - Animal Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
3410 - Dairy cattle, live animal;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;
Goals / Objectives
This research is intended to identify and evaluate methods to improve the feed efficiency of dairy cows through traditional forage quality and new forage hybrids that may come available for use in dairy cattle diets. Most evaluations will be as feeds for lactating cows, although some evaluations (e.g. specific nutrient profiles) may be with growing heifers or dry cows. Specific objectives for this project include the following: 1.To evaluate the nutritional composition and feeding value of highly digestible forages and new forage hybrids for maximum inclusion rate for feeding high forage diets to lactating dairy cows. Techniques will include ruminal fermentation with continuous culture fermenter system, measurement of gas production from ruminal fermentation and rational feeding methods of lactating dairy cows. 2.To evaluate the maximum forage inclusion rates for mid to late lactation dairy cows. Highly digestible forages could result in very high forage diets that will reduce the feed costs of these cows. 3.To evaluate the nutrient composition, dry matter digestibility, fiber digestibility, starch digestibility to accurately predict the feeding value of forages and new forage hybrids for dairy cattle.
Project Methods
Objective 1: There will likely be several experiments conducted under these objectives. The general format will likely use 16 lactating dairy cows in four 4 x 4 Latin squares with 4 wk periods. For instance, the experiment to evaluate the feeding value of different corn hybrids will include the following diets: Control and new hybrid seed corn producing silage and grain with a softer starch structure (amylose versus amylopectin) in the kernel. This study will be a milk production trial with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (Control silage and corn, Soft starch silage with corn, Control corn silage with soft starch corn, and Soft starch silage and corn. Parameters to be measured will include milk production, milk composition, feed intake, and feed efficiency. Diets will be fed as TMR for ad libitum consumption. The forage to concentrate ratio will likely be 60:40 on DM basis for all diets. For other forage alfalfa, grass, or corn hybrids that will be studied, evaluations will begin with laboratory analyses to detail nutrient compositions and digestibilities using the continuous culture ruminal fermentation system and ruminal fermentation gas production system. Depending on nutrient composition and digestibilities of these forage sources (e.g. high DMD, NDF, and/or starch, etc.) appropriate diets will be formulated utilizing these products as feeds for lactating and/or growing dairy cattle. Objective 2: Forages will be harvested at earlier maturities than normal to ensure higher quality of forage and greater nutrient digestibilities. These forages will be used to formulate diets based on higher forage inclusion rates than recommended by the NRC for lactating dairy cattle. Targeted groups will be mid- to late-lactation dairy cattle. These groups of cows don't receive much research focus, but if higher inclusion rates of forages can be achieved with these cows to maintain or enhance milk production and composition, then feed costs will be dramatically reduced. These forages will be evaluated using continuous ruminal fermentation system, ruminal gas production system, and feeding trials as described. Objective 3: New corn hybrids that become available in working with seed corn companies will be planted and harvested for silage or grain at the Dairy Research and Training Facility (DRTF). These forage hybrids will be evaluated using continuous ruminal fermentation system, ruminal gas production system, feeding trials as described above. Measurements will include nutrient composition, nutrient digestibility (DM, NDF, and Starch), gas production, ruminal volatile fatty acid concentrations, ammonia concentrations, microbial protein production, and feeding value to early, mid and late lactation dairy cows and dairy heifers to maximize forage inclusion in the ration.

Progress 10/01/12 to 12/01/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience was scienitists, extension specialists, industry technical service professional, consulting nutritionists and dairy producers at the local, regional, national and international levels. Changes/Problems:Please note that Dr. Casper is no longer at SDSU. Results were accomplished prior to Dr. Casper leaving. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Please note that Dr. Casper is no longer at SDSU.The report is being filed to terminate this project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Please note that Dr. Casper is no longer at SDSU.The report is being filed to terminate this project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Please note that Dr. Casper is no longer at SDSU.The report is being filed to terminate this project.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Please note that Dr. Casper is no longer at SDSU.The report is being filed to terminate this project.

Publications


    Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

    Outputs
    Target Audience:The target audience was scienitists, extension specialists, industry technical service professional, consulting nutritionists and dairy producers at the local, regional, national and international levels. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?These studies involved the trainignof graduate students and some additional undegradaute student labor. Two graduate students finished their M.S. programs and two Ph.D.students finished their programsduring this reporting period. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been presented at the National Sciencific meetings of the ADSA and ASAS meetings this past summer. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?A series of studies are being designed to test and evaluate NovaMeal (a byproduct of extracting fat from Distillers Grains) using lactationg dairy cows along with rumen cannulated dairy cows to measure milk production, nutreint digestibility and ruminal by pass of essential amino acids. Another series of studies are being disigned to evaluate different corn hybrids for silage production for transition dairy cows. Crops will be planted in the spring and feeding trials conducting in the winter of 2016/2017.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? This projectwas conducted via 2 individual studies, the first studywas conducted to evaluate Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (Diamond V Original XPC and two prototypes) on production efficiency of mid-lactation dairy cows. Eighty mid-lactation (164.5 DIM ± 67.5) Holstein cows (56 multiparous and 24 primiparous) were blocked by parity, days in milk, and milk production and randomly assigned to one of four treatments. Treatments consisted of: 1) Control (C): corn silage and haylage based ration; 2) XPC: Control ration with Original XPC added at 14 g/d; 3) Prototype 1 (P1): Control ration with Prototype 1 added at 5 g/d; and 4) Prototype 2 (P2): Control ration with Prototype 2 added at 19 g/d.Supplementing a dairy ration with a yeast fermentation product can improve milk production and feed efficiency of mid-lactation cows. This projectwas conducted via 2 individual studies, the second study evaluated Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (Diamond V original XPC and two prototypes) on lactational performance and ruminal fermentation. Eight ruminally cannulated (132 DIM and 34.4 kg milk) Holstein dairy cows (2 primiparous and 8 multiparous), were blocked by milk yield, DIM and parity and randomly assigned in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design. Treatments were: 1) Control (C): corn silage and haylage based ration; 2) XPC: C ration with 14 g/hd/d Original XPC; 3) Prototype 1 (P1): C ration with 5 g/hd/d P1; and 4) Prototype 2 (P2): C ration with 19 g/hd/d P2.On d 25 or 27, rumens were evacuated, weighed, add markers (Co & Valeric acid), mixed, block the rumen-omasal orifice using a sponge, and rumen contents returned to the rumen. Ruminal samples were collected for 4 h at 20 minute intervals to determine ruminal pH, ammonia, and volatile fatty acid concentrations. After 4 h of sample collection, rumen contents were re-evacuated, re-weighed, rumen-omasal sponge removed, and rumen contents returned.The feeding of a dairy ration with a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product can improve ruminal pH and feed efficiency of mid-lactation cows. This study was designed to test the impact of reducing corn grain starch with nonforage fiber sources in diets using either soybean meal or canola meal as the primary protein source. Sixteen Holstein cows were assigned to a 4×4 Latin square design with 4 periods of 28 d. Treatments were arranged as a 2×2 factorial with 2 protein sources [soybean meal (SBM) and canola meal (CM)] and 2 starch levels (21 and 27% of DM). Overall, lower starch % in SBM or CM diets negatively affected DMI, milk yield, ECM, and milk protein percentage and yield, but not feed efficiency and milk fat percentage and yield. Increasing starch level in canola meal diets decreased milk fat percentage, but potentially improved protein balance because less MUN was observed. Synchronization of the degradability of non-structural carbohydrate and rumen degradable protein has been identified as an effective method of increasing intestinal AA flow through increased microbial protein synthesis and more efficient ruminal fermentation, thereby increasing performance of dairy cows. Therefore, the objective was to determine the performance of lactating cows fed either corn and barley starches at varying proportions in diets containing canola meal as the major source of supplemental protein.Overall, lactation performance was not affected by feeding varying proportions of corn and barley when the diets were formulated with canola meal as the primary protein supplement. The production of forage resulting from the intercropping of corn and soybean at planting has the potential to yield greater quantities of digestible nutrients to meet the nutrient requirements of lactating dairy cows. A field plot experiment was conducted to measure forage yield, nutrient concentration and digestibility when intercropping MasterGraze (MG) seed corn and vining (V) soybean lines at different seeding rates. A randomized complete block design with five different seeding rates [100:0 (T1); 67:33 (T2); 50:50 (T3); 33:67 (T4), and 0:100 (T5) of V and MG] with three replicates was used to determine the optimal intercropping seeding rates. The intercropping of V and MG at a ratio of 67:33 holds great potential for increasing the production of forages to meet the nutrient requirements of lactating dairy cows. The production of forage resulting from the mixed cropping of corn and soybeans at planting has the potential to yield greater quantities of digestible nutrients to meet the nutrient requirements of lactating dairy cows. A field plot study was laid out using a completely randomized design to evaluate two organic corn hybrids [Normal (N) and MasterGraze (MG)] with two soybean hybrids [Regular (R) and Vining (V)] at four seeding rates (R1 = 65:35; R2 = 55:45; R3 = 45:55, and R4 = 35:65 of corn and soybean) having a 2 x 2 x 4 factorial treatment design replicated three times.The mixed cropping of corn and soybeans holds great potential for increasing the production of forages to meet the nutrient requirements of lactating dairy cows. Twenty-one (6 primiparous and 15 multiparous) high producing early lactation Holstein cows were fed one of three experimental corn silages harvested from the planting of three different seed corn hybrids from wk 4 through wk 14 postpartum. Corn hybrids (Control (C): Dekalb and Masters Choice: MC1 and MC2) were planted and harvested as corn silage during the 2012 growing season.This study demonstrated that different seed corn hybrids for the production of corn silage were similar in lactational performance

    Publications

    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Casper, D. P. and M. Kirk. 2015. Commercial dairy farm evaluation of highly digestible corn grain for calf starters when calves are fed pasteurized waste milk. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:241. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Casper, D. P., S. Sontag, L. McMartin, W. Weich, and J. Kleinjan. 2015. Evaluation of seed corn hybrids to provide nutrients that are highly digestible for South Dakota livestock operations. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:368. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Froehlick, K. A., U. Salas Vega, C. Soderholm, and D. P. Casper. 2015. Commercial dairy farm evaluation of milk replacers with different protein sources and concentrations. . J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:242-243. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Hultquist, K. M. and D. P. Casper. 2015. Feeding a rumen degradable amino acid can enhance milk production. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:215. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Jayasinghe, N. K., K. F. Kalscheur, J. L. Anderson, and D. P. Casper. 2015. Canola meal in dairy cow diets with varying concentration of starch sources. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:128. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Kuester, O. J. and D. P. Casper. 2015. Commercial Robotic Dairy Farm Evaluation of Essential Oil Prototype Product. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:754. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mendes, A., M. R. Murphy, P. S. Erickson, and D. P. Casper. 2015. The sex ratio of female to male calves may be affected by number of services to achieve conception and lactation number of the lactating dairy cow. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:109. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Pretz, J. P., J. Wu, M. Jao, B. Holloway, D. Davis, and D. P. Casper. 2015. Stereo microscopy and scanning electron microscopy of manure samples from late lactation dairy cows when fed cobalt-lactate in a high forage total mixed ration. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:135-136. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Pretz, J. P., S. Acharya, I. Yoon, M. Scott, and D. P. Casper. 2015. Lactational performance and ruminal morphometrics when mid-lactation dairy cows are fed Sacchararomyces cerevisisae fermentation products. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:880. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Sanchez-Duarte, J.L., K. F. Kalscheur, and D. P. Casper. 2015. Effect of the starch level in diets with soybean or canola meal on the performance of lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:736-737. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Moraes,L.E., J. G. Fael, A. R. Casitlo, D. P. Casper, J. M. Tricarico, and E. Krebreab. 2015. Modeling the trade-off between diet costs and methane emission: A goal programming approach. J. Dairy Sci. 98:5557-5571.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Moraes, L. E., E. Kebreab, A. B. Strathe, J. Dijkstra, J. France, D. P. Casper, and J. G. Fadel. 2015. Multivariate and univariate analysis of energy balance data from lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 98:4012-4029.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Reed, K. F., L. E. Moraes, D. P. Casper, and E. Kebreab. 2015. Prediction nitrogen excretion from cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 98:3025-3035.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Arriola, K. G., O. C. Queiroz, J. J. Romero, D. Casper, E. Muniz, J. Hamie, A. T. Adesogan. 2015 Effect of microbial inoculants on the quality and aerobic stability of bermudagrass round-bale haylage. J. Dairy 98:478-485.
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Moraes, L. E., J. G. Fadel, D. P. Casper, and E. Kebreab. 2015. A multivariate mixed effects model to estimate the energetic efficiencies of synthesizing milk components. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:745. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Reed, K. F., L. E. Moraes, A. Johnson, D. P. Casper, and E. Kebreab. 2015. Predicting nitrogen excretion from lactating dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:602. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Acharya, I. P., M. Kirk, and D. P. Casper. 2015. Lactational performance of early lactation high producing dairy cows fed corn silage produced by different seed corn hybrids. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:384. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Acharya, I. P., X. Gu, and D. P. Casper. 2015. Forage yield, quality, and digestibility when intercropping vining soybean with MasterGraze seed corn at different seeding rates. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:287. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Acharya, I. P., X. Gu, and D. P. Casper. 2015. Late season forage yield, quality, and digestibility from mixed cropping of organic certified corn and soybean hybrids at different seeding rates. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:687. (Abstr.).
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Acharya, S., J. P. Pretz, I. Yoon, M. Scott, and D. P. Casper. 2015. Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products on performance of mid-lactation dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. (Suppl. 1) 98:247. (Abstr.).


    Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

    Outputs
    Target Audience: The target audience was scientists, extension specialists, industry technical service professionals, consulting nutritionist and dairy producers at the local, regional, national and international levels Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? These studies involved the training of graduate students and some additional undergraduate student labor. Two graduate students finished their M.S. programs during this reporting period. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The results have been presented at the National Scientific meetings of the ADSA and ASAS meetings this past summer What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Additional trials are being conducted to evaluate corn silage varieties, feed additives to enhance digestion on a high forage diet, and possibly another high forage study this spring/summer.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? One phase of the research was to develop a new milk replacer for growing HOlstein Heifer calves. Typically calves fed an accelerated milk replacer program having a post weaning slump in growth performance due to coming off a high plane of nutrition. The 3 research projects listed here using alarge number of calveslead to the development of a 24:20 protein fat milk replacer that prevented the post weaning slump in growth performance. Therefore, calves continued to grow faster on this program with more dry feed intake and water intake than calves fed a lower protein or a higher protein milk replacer. The other calf trial was to compare the feeding of a new corn hybrid grown for grain compared to a control grain on the growth performance of calves when fed different calf starters. The Masters Choice corn grain resulted in a trend to improved feed efficiency, improvements in nutrient digestibilities and cheaper costs per unit of gain for these calves. Another phase of the research was to use MasterGraze which is a grazing corn grown for silage to be fed to growing Holstein Heifers. The use of this silage resulted in the same growth rates compared to a control ration, but was much cheaper in feed costs due to the forage supplying a greater percentage of the nutrients. Cobalt has been shown to improve ruminal fiber digestibilty in previous studies. Continuing with the high forage rations, the use of cobalt could improve feed efficiency of late lactation dairy cows. Twenty four late lactation dairy cows were divided into 2 groups and fed a control or cobalt supplemented ratio using cobalt lactate. Rations were 70% forage and 30% grain. Milk production, milk composition and dry matter intakes were similar but cows fed cobalt lactate demonstrated greater acetate concentrations with lower rumen ammonia concentrations, indicating an increase in fiber digestion and microbial protein synthesis. A numberical increase was observed for total tract fiber digestion. The final accomplishment was the evaluation of different water sources from farms with or without the use of a water treatment system. Four water sources and laboratory distiller water were evaluated using an in vitro gas production system. This system measurements the rate of digestion by incubating rumen fluid with a standard feed sample. The results demonstrate that the use of laboratory distilled water results in the greatest digestion rates for feed samples, but over predicts these estimates compared to using a dairy operation water source to determine the rates. No differences in digestion rates were obseved between untreated farm water and using a water treatment system. These data demonstate that evaluating feed digestion in the laboratory may overestime digestion rates compared to digestion rates observed on the farm. The water source may be the reason for these observed differences.

    Publications

    • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Strayer, B. M., D. Ziegler, D. Schimek, B. Ziegler, H. Chester-Jones, J. L. Anderson, K. F. Kalscheur, and D. Casper. Development of a modified accelerated milk replacer feeding program through 8 wk of age. J. Dairy Sci. 97 (E-Suppl.1):309. (Abstr.). Casper, D., S. Srivastava, K. Kirk, S. Harris, K. Koone, and B. M. Strayer. The use of high digestible corn grain in calf starters when calves are fed an accelerated milk replacer. J. Dairy Sci. 97(E-Suppl.1):310. (Abstr.). J. P. Pretz, H. T. Purvis, D. Davis, B. Trautman, J. L. Anderson, K. F. Kalscheur, and D. Casper. Cobalt-lactate inclusion in a high forage total mixed ration fed to late lactation dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 97(E-Suppl.1):344. (Abstr.). Casper, D. I. P. Acharya, and D. Miller. Evaluation of MegaFerm Fiber to enhance ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility of a total mixed ration using an in vitro gas production measurement system. J. Dairy Sci. 97(E-Suppl.1):355. (Abstr.). Casper, D. and I. P. Acharya. The influence of source and quality of water and a water treatment system on the ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility of a total mixed ration using an in vitro gas production measurement system. J. Dairy Sci. 97(E-Suppl.1):799. (Abstr.). Strayer, B. M., D. Ziegler, D. Schimek, B. Ziegler, M. Raeth-Knight, H. Chester-Jones, and D. Casper. Pre- and post-weaning performance and health of calves fed 24% crude protein and 20% fat milk replacer at different feeding rates. J. Dairy Sci. 97 (E-Suppl:1):810. (Abstr.). Strayer, B. M., D. Ziegler, D. Schimek, B. Ziegler, M. Raeth-Knight, H. Chester-Jones, and D. Casper. Pre- and post-weaning performance and health of calves fed milk replacers with two protein concentrations and two feeding rates. J. Dairy Sci. 97 (E-Suppl:1):810. (Abstr.). Lawrence, R. D., J. L. Anderson, T. J. VAnderwerf, A, K. Manthey, K. F. Kalscheur, and D. P. Casper. Growth performance and total tract nutrient digestion ofr Holstein heifer precision-fed diets high in distillers grains with different forage particle size. J. Dairy Sci. 97(E-Suppl.1):825. (Abstr.). Gadeken, D. L., K. Koone, S. Harris, K. Kirk, and D. Casper. MasterGraze silage for growing Holstein heifers. J. Dairy Sci. 97(E-Suppl.1):902. (Abstr.). Jayasinghe, N.,K. F. Kalscheur, J. L. Anderson, and D. P. Casper. Ruminal degradability and intestinal digestibility of protein and amino acids in canola meal. J. Dairy Sci. 97(E-Suppl.1):566. (Abstr.).


    Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13

    Outputs
    Target Audience: The target audience was scientists, extension specialist, industry technical service professionals, consulting nutritionists and dairy producers at the local, regional, national and international levels. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? This project was conducted by a Master's degree seeking student and an undergraduate student. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The results have been presented at the National Scientific meetings of the ADSA and ASAS meetings this past summer. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Additional trials are being conducted to evaluate corn silage varieties, feed additives to enhance digestion on a high forage diet, and possibly another high forage study this spring/summer.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Dairy producers have been asking how much forage could be included in the ration so that a lactating dairy cow can consume sufficient nutrients to support similar milk production. The production of high quality forages having high DM and NDF digestibility are needed to evaluate this feeding scenario. Twenty mid- to late-lactation lactating Holstein dairy cows were blocked on parity (10 primiparous and 10 multiparous), milk production (range 33.9 to 56.6; mean=41.5 kg/d), and DIM (range 140 to 287; mean=225 d) and randomly assigned within blocks to 1 of 2 rations based on ration forage concentration. Forages were 60% 2012 1st cutting alfalfa haylage and 40% 2012 corn silage blended on a DM basis and then fed at either 60% (Low Forage:LF) or 80% (High Forage:HF) of the ration DM. Experimental design was a randomized completed block design with 4 continuous weeks for data collection preceded by a 1 week covariate data collection period in which all cows were fed the LF ration. Cows were milked 3x/d and milk weights recorded at each milking and milk samples were collected at each milking once weekly for analysis of milk composition. Rations were similar in CP (16.4%), starch (20.1%), ADF (21.8%), and NDF (34.1%) concentrations. The use of a covariate was highly significant (P<0.01). Milk production was reduced (P<0.01) by feeding the HF diet compared to cows fed the LF (28.1 and 24.1 kg/d for LF and HF, respectively), while milk fat (3.98 and 3.96%), milk protein (3.17 and 3.11%), milk lactose (4.81 and 4.77%), and milk solidsnot- fat (8.87 and 8.77%) percentages were similar (P>0.10) for cows fed both rations. The forage quality and digestibility in this study was not adequate to support the milk production of mid- to late-lactation dairy cows. The digestibility of DM (DMD=75.7%) and NDF (NDFd=55.7%) for the alfalfa haylage was above average but, the corn silage quality was average (DMD=72.9, NDFd=52.3%, and starch=32.1%) in this study. In this study, the forage quality and digestibility when fed at high rates did not support similar milk production in mid- to late-lactation dairy cows.

    Publications