Dairy Cow Nutrition

1
Dairy Cow Nutrition

• Level II Agricultural Business Operations

2
Dairy Cow Nutrition

• Nutrient content of feed
• Nutritional requirements
• Analyse forage quality
• Winter feeding plan

3
Cows are Ruminants
Oesophagus
4
Types of Feeds

• Forage
• Grass
• Silage
• Straw
• Concentrate
• Barley, Wheat, Soya, Rape

5
Feed Composition
Feed
Water
Dry Matter
Protein
Fibre
Vitamins
Minerals
Energy
6
Dry Matter

• Dry matter (DM) is the feed remaining after all
  the water has been taken out
• DM includes
• Energy (ME)
• Protein (CP)
• Fibre (NDF)
• Fats Oils
• Vitamins Minerals

7
Energy Feeds
DM ME CP
Barley 86.0 13.2 11.5
Wheat 86.0 13.6 10.0
Maize 86.0 13.8 10.0
Soyabean 89.0 13.4 50.5
Megalac 95.0 29.0 0.0
8
Protein Feeds
DM ME CP
Soyabean 86.0 13.2 50.5
Rapeseed 90.0 12.0 40.0
Distillers Maize 89.0 14.0 31.0
9
Fibre Feeds
ME CP NDF
Grass 11.2 16.0 57.7
Silage 10.6 13.0 46.0
Straw 6.3 3.5 81.0
Soya hulls 11.9 11.6 64.0
10
Nutritional Requirements of a Dairy Cow

• Water
• Energy
• Protein
• Fibre
• Minerals Vitamins

11
1. Water

• 50 80 cows body is water
• Milk contains 87 water
• Transport nutrients around body
• Facilitates excretion of waste products
• Regulates body temperature
• A cow needs 60-116 litres water/day

12
2.Energy

• Survive (MAINTENANCE)
• Produce milk (PRODUCTION)
• Produce offspring (REPRODUCTION)
• Gain condition (PRODUCTION)

13
2. Energy Maintenance
MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
Cow details 650kg liveweight 40 litres/day 6
weeks calved
LWT 500 550 600 650 700 750
Maint. 59 64 69 74 79 84
The example cow is 650kg, so she will require
74MJ/day to maintain herself.
14
2. EnergyMilk Production
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENT OF DAIRY COWS (2)
What is the cows maintenance requirement? How
many MJ to make 1 litre of milk?
REQUIREMENT MAINTENANCE PRODUCTION
15
2. EnergyMilk Production
MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
Maintenance Value
74
16
2. EnergyMilk Production
Cow details 650kg liveweight 40 litres/day 6
weeks calved
Milk Production General rule 1 litre of milk
requires 5MJ of energy
Example cow 40 x 5 200MJ
17
2. EnergyMilk Production
PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS
74
18
3. Protein

• Build repair the bodys enzymes, hormones,
  tissues (muscle, skin, organs)
• Growth
• Milk Production
• Pregnancy

19
3. Concentrate Protein Content
Silage CP content Concentrate Protein
12 14 18 21
8 12 Greater than 21

Low Protein Silage Specifically formulated diet
20
4. Fibre

• To ensure efficient rumen function
• 6040 ForageConcentrate (DM)
• Length of fibre (25-50 mm)
• Straw inclusion

21
5. Vitamins and Minerals

• Bone formation Calcium, Phosphorus
• Milk production - Calcium
• Reproduction Vitamin K
• Muscle function Vitamin E, Selenium

22
Winter Feeding Plan

• Steps in planning a winter feeding plan
• Analyse forage
• Balance forage with concentrates
• Feed ration to ensure sufficient intake
• Monitor cow performance

23
Analysing Forage

• Silage is usually the main winter forage
• Take samples for analysis
• Take care with sampling procedure
• Take sufficient samples

24
Interpreting Silage Analysis
25
Feeding Concentrates

• Gradually build up level of concentrate (21 day)
• Maximum feed level in parlour
• 10 kg cows
• 8 kg heifers
• If higher feed levels are required consider
• Mid day feeds
• Out of parlour feeders
• Complete diet feeding (TMR)

26
Mid-day Feeding

• Advantages
• Less digestive upsets
• Cheaper blend vs nut
• Low cost no equipment needed

• Disadvantages
• Feed Space
• Labour
• Cows bullying

27
Out-of-Parlour Feeding

• Advantages
• Fewer digestive upsets
• Cows fed individually
• Cows fed to Yield

• Disadvantages
• Capital cost
• 1 station/25 cows
• Bullying

28
Complete Diet Feeding (TMR)

• Advantages
• Uniform diet
• Optimum rumen efficiency
• Encourages high intake
• Flexibility alternative feeds

• Disadvantages
• Capital cost
• Complicated diets
• Over mixing
• Under/overfeeding
• Suitable housing

29
Maximising Forage Intake

• Offer adequate fresh forage
• Allow 5-10 refusal
• Ensure adequate feed space
• (450 600 mm/cow)
• Provide clean and adequate water
• Troughs should allow 10 of herd to drink at any
  one time or 100 mm/cow

30
Use Body Condition Score to Monitor Cow
Performance

• Assessment of cow fat reserves based on visual
  assessment and handling.
• Gives subjective assessment of thin and fat cows
  regardless of frame size or breed.
• Based on scale of 1-5 (1extremely thin,
  5extremely fat) with increments of 0.5.

31
Assessment of Body Condition Score
Two main areas for assessment
32
Condition Score 2.5
Tailhead
Shallow fat-lined cavity felt at taihead. Fatty
tissue felt under the skin. Pelvis felt easily.
Loin
Ends of transverse processes feel well rounded
and upper surfaces padded with fat. Depression
visible in loin.
33
Monitor Cow Performance

• Feed intakes
• Milk yields
• Milk protein
• Condition scores

34
Summary

• Careful winter feed planning essential
• Balance silage quality with concentrate
• Feed sufficient ration
• Ensure adequate intake
• Monitor performance and body condition