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Effects of Feeding Concentrates to Maintain Body Weight of Dairy Cows in Early Lactation

Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

ABSTRACT

To provide adequate energy intake during early lactation, two 18-week trials were conducted in which concentrates were increased after calving to essentially ad libitum levels but adjusted weekly to maintain or stabilize body weight to the postpartum level. In Trial I, twelve Holsteins, and in Trial II, thirteen Holsteins and three Ayrshires, were fed forage ad libitum starting three weeks before parturition. Lead feeding was utilized prior to parturition, with daily concentrate increases of 0.45 kg/day until 9.1 kg/day was achieved or parturition occurred. After calving, concentrates were increased 0.45 kg/day until the cow began to increase from the postpartum body weight, then the grain allowance was reduced.

Solids-corrected milk (SCM) production peaked at Week 3 in both trials. The total digestible nutrients (TDN) requirements were met by the third and sixth week of each trial, respectively. Grain dry matter (DM) intake was maximum and forage dry matter intake minimum at Week 5 in the two trials. As the grain allowance was reduced because of body weight increases the cows compensated for the energy formerly supplied from grain by increasing forage consumption. After early initial average losses up to 14 kg, body weight was stabilized within ±3.6 kg of the postpartum weight by Week 12.