Blood and hydrolyzed feather meals as sources of undegradable protein in high fat diets for cows in early lactation.
Thirty-six cows were in a 2 x 3 factorial study during the first 2 mo of lactation to examine effects on milk yield and composition of added fat (5% of feed DM) and percentage of ruminally undegradable protein (100, 120, or 140% of recommended intake) in the diet. The main source of added undegradable protein was a 1:1 (wt/wt) mixture of blood meal:hydrolyzed feather meal. Diets were low in ADF (ca. 14%) and were highly fermentable in the rumen. The amount of intermediate dietary protein reduced feed intake. Milk yield was high (40 to 44 kg/d), similar among treatment groups, and was sustained for the entire 60-d trail. All cows yielded milk of low fat content (2.1 to 3.2%); supplemental fat decreased proportions of C6 to C14, C18:2, and C18:3 in milk fat and increased C4, C16:0, C18:0, and C18:1. Higher dietary protein had a positive linear effect on milk fat percentage and increased C16:0 and decreased trans-C18:1 and C18:2 contents of milk fat. Added fat did not change total milk N but increased NPN as a percentage of total milk N. Percentage of total N in milk and yield of whey N was reduced when the intermediate protein diet was fed, associated with the lower DMI of this diet. A requirement for ruminally undegradable protein intake higher than recommended by NRC was not demonstrated with the highly fermentable diets fed in this study; however, ruminal acetate: propionate ratio and milk fat percentage were low.
Palmquist
D L
DL
Department of Dairy Science, Ohio State University, Wooster 44691.
Weiss
W P
WP
D000085:Acetates / Q000032:analysis; D019342:Acetic Acid; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005241:Feathers; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D007774:Lactation; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011422:Propionates / Q000032:analysis; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism
D000085:Acetates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008055:Lipids; D011422:Propionates; C029658:propionic acid; D009584:Nitrogen; D019342:Acetic Acid