Yeast culture to improve intake, nutrient digestibility, and performance by dairy cattle during early lactation.
Twenty-four primiparous Holstein cows were fed corn silage:grain (1:1, DM basis) and hay (.9 kg/d) beginning 30 d prepartum and through wk 18 of lactation. Ten grams of Biomate Yeast Plus (5 X 10(9) cfu of Saccharomyces cerevisiae/g) were top-dressed on the a.m. allotment of corn silage:grain fed to 12 cows. Corn silage:grain was restricted during prepartum and thereafter fed for ad libitum intake. Cows fed supplemental yeast peaked earlier and had a higher milk yield compared with control cows (wk 7, 29.5 kg/d vs. wk 11, 28.7 kg/d). Digestibilities of protein and cellulose were improved in cows fed supplemental yeast, contributing to a greater DMI during the first 6 wk of lactation and a higher average milk yield through wk 18 of lactation compared with control cows (27.2 vs. 26.0 kg/d).
Wohlt
J E
JE
Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers--the State University, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0231.
Finkelstein
A D
AD
Chung
C H
CH
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000378:metabolism; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004063:Digestion; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D012417:Rumen / Q000382:microbiology*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000254:growth & development*
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D002482:Cellulose