1Dairy Cattle Ration Formulation: Lactating Cattle Dry Matter Intake

Importance of Feed Intake

n Milk yield and DMI positively correlated

n Every pound of DMI = 2.0 2.5 lbs. milk

Quick and Simple Equation

n DMI (kg/day) = (0.0968 x BW0.75) + (0.372 x kg FCM)

n FCM = (0.4 x kg milk) + (15 x kg fat)n 635 kg cow, 36 kg milk, 3.5% fatn FCM = (0.4 x 36) + (15 x 1.26) = 32.8n DMI = (0.0968 x 6350.75) + (0.372 x 32.8)

24.7 kg/day or 49.7 lb/day

Dry Matter Intake

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46

Week of Lactation

DM

I (l

b)

DMI and Milk Production

05

101520253035404550

0 70 80 90 100Milk Yield (lb)

DM

I (lb

)

1.51.61.71.81.92.02.12.22.32.42.5

MY

/DM

I

2Stages of Lactation

Phase Feeding

Tail End200 to 3306.

Peak Intake80 to 2005.

Peak Milk14 to 804.

Fresh0 to 143.

Close-UpLast 21 days dry2.

Far-Off1st 35 days dry1.

Dry Cow Nutrient Concentrations

Close-upFar-off

27 - 3545 - 60NDF

19 - 2532 - 40ADF

13 - 1412 - 13CP, %

0.68 -0.740.60 - 0.64NEL, Mcal/lb

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Month

Phase 4

Ph

as

e

1

Phase 6Ph

ase

3Phase 5

Phase

2

Dry Matter Intake

Body Weight

Milk Production

Peak DMIPeak Milk Tail End

Fresh Far Off

Close Up

Fresh Cows

n Step Nutrient Intaken Stabilize Rumen

n Optimize Dry Matter Intaken Observe the Cow

n Majority of metabolic disorders

Early Lactation - First 100 days

n Goaln High peak dry matter intake, peak milk yield,

healthyn Each lb. of peak yield = 250 - 300 lb. of

lactation yield

n Negative nutrient balance - first ? days of lactation

n Most difficult time to manage cows

3Mid- Late Lactation

n Take advantage of foragesn lower costn nutrient requirements not as high

n Gain weight (body condition) lost during early lactation

Milk Components

Milk Fat & Protein Relationship

1.2580%3.814.76Jersey

1.1587%3.193.66Holstein

1.2778%3.574.55Guernsey

1.1389%3.574.03Brown Swiss

1.1587%3.403.91Aryshire

Fat vs Protein

Protein vs FatProtein %Fat %

Milk Fat Sources

n 50% - Acetate and Butyraten 50% - Blood Lipids

n Dietaryn Body Fat

Low Fat Test

Energy Shortage

n 90-150 days Postpartum

n Thin cows

n 2.5 to 3.0% Milk Fat

n Milk protein also lower

n Ration unbalanced

Milk Fat Depression

n Any stage of lactation

n Good cow condition

n 0.9 to 2.5% Milk Fat

n Milk protein higher

n Off-feed conditions

Balancing Rations

4Rations Delivered to the Cow

n The ration on paper

n The ration in the bunk

n The ration consumed by the cow

n The ration absorbed in the blood stream

Requirements

n Body weightn Holsteins/Brown Swiss 1350 to 1450 lbsn Aryshire/Guernsey 1200 to 1300 lbsn Jersey 900 to 1000 lbs

n Milk productionn daily metered weights, monthly test weights,

daily tank averages

n Weight gain/loss

Accurate Feed Analysis

n Test forages when harvestedn Test forages monthly

n $15 30/sample

n Determine forage DM weeklyn Grains use book valuesn Test by-products by load

Ration Formulation

n Lead factorsn One group 30% (70 lb avg = 91 lb goal)n Two groups 20% (80 lbs avg = 96 lb goal)n Three groups 10% (90 lbs avg = 99 lb goal)

Ration Formulation

n Start with foragesn determine energy/protein supplement needs

n Monitor DMI, CP, NEL, and ADF as you change ingredient amounts

n ADF-NDF spread about 10 ptsn By-products 15-25 pt spread

n Minerals and vitamins commercial grain mix or mineral pack

Production Potential

Optimal Productivity

RequirementsAccurate Feed AnalysisPredicted Dry Matter Intake

Energy/CP Allowable Production

Ration FormulationActual Dry Matter Intake

5NDF Intake

1.2%Second Lactation

1.0%First Lactation

0.8 1.0%Early Lactation

0.8 1.0%Dry Cow

NDF Intake (% of BW)

Suggested Ration Composition

0.73

0.70

0.67

0.62

NEL(Mcal/lb)

66

59

52

45

DMI (lb/d)

59

61

64

67

RDP (%CP)

4116.7120

3916.099

3615.277

3314.155

RUP (%CP)

CP (%DM)

Milk (lb/d)

Suggested Ration Composition

25

27

32

35

NDF (%DM)

19

20

23

25

ADF (%DM)

40-42

40-42

38-40

35-38

NFC (%DM)

2-720120

2-62099

2-52077

2-42055

Fat (%DM)

eNDF(%DM)

Milk lb

Note on Nutrient Densities

n Nutrient Densities are useful

n However Most Importantn Meet the nutrient requirements at a given

level of feed intake

Feed Costs

n Typically 50% of expensesn Feed costs lactating cows

n $6.00 7.00/cwt

n Feed costs - all cowsn $6.50 7.50/cwt

Relationship between Feed Costs and Milk Production

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

lbs milk/d

$/co

w/d

0

3

6

9

12

15

$/cw

t

maint $/cow/d milk $/cow/d $/cwt