Effects of pre-feeding of a corn silage-based supplement on the feed intake, milk production and nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows

Authors: MITANI, Tomohiro; TAKAHASHI, Makoto; UEDA, Koichiro; NAKATSUJI, Hiroki; KONDO, Seiji

Source: Animal Science Journal, Volume 76, Number 5, October 2005 , pp. 453-460(8)

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Abstract:

Four Holstein cows were used to determine the effect of timing of the feeding of a corn silage (CS)-based supplement on the feed intake, milk production and nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows. The cows were fed the supplement 2 h before grazing (pre-grazing) or immediately after grazing (post-grazing). Cows were grazed for 5 h per day under a rotational grazing system. There was no difference in the herbage and total feed intake between treatments. The milk protein yield for pre-grazing tended to be higher than that for post-grazing, whereas the milk yield did not differ between treatments. The total nitrogen intake for pre-grazing tended to be higher than that for post-grazing (P = 0.06). There was no difference in the urinary nitrogen output between treatments, whereas the proportion of urinary nitrogen output : total nitrogen intake for pre-grazing tended to be lower than that for post-grazing (P = 0.06). The milk nitrogen output and nitrogen retention for pre-grazing tended to be higher than that for post-grazing (milk nitrogen, P = 0.06; nitrogen retention, P = 0.05). Nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows was improved by feeding a CS-based supplement before grazing.

Keywords: grazing; nitrogen utilization; timing of supplementation

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-0929.2005.00290.x

Affiliations: 1: Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Japan

Publication date: 2005-10-01