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Variable Grain Intake During Two Portions of the Lactation¹

Department of Dairy Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824

ABSTRACT

In two trials a total of 96 cows was divided at parturition into four groups based on grain feeding. During day 0 to 45 (period 1) grain was fed ad libitum (H) or at 1 kg per 4 kg milk (L), and during period 2, day 46 to 180 (trial 1) or 270 (trial 2), the high grain:milk ratio was 1:2.5 (H) and the low 1:4 (L). This gave a continuous high rate (HH), continuous low rate (LL), and two crossover groups (LH and HL). Corn silage intake was limited, but hay was allowed ad libitum. During trial 1 the greatest amount of milk, fat-corrected milk, fat, and solids-not-fat was for group LH. These values for group LL were below those of the other three. During trial 2 no differences in production were significant between the four groups during period 1, period 2, or 1 plus 2. Body weight loss during period 1 was least for H, and over the entire experiment body weight gains were more for H cows. Cows in H in period 1 produced 2.0 kg more milk, consumed 5.0 kg more grain, and 2.6 kg more total digestible nutrients than L cows. During period 2, H cows produced 1.1 kg more milk, consumed 4.2 kg more grain, and 2.0 kg more nutrients than those on L. Feeding grain 1:2.5 during days 1 to 45 did increase milk during that period and during remainder of the lactation. Feeding grain at 1:2.5 grain:milk ratio compared to 1:4.0 during day 46 to 180 or 270 did increase milk production during that period. The extent of these increases varied greatly between two trials. For both trials, fat-corrected milk per cow per day averaged 24.2, 24.4, 23.9, and 22.1 kg for HH, HL, LH, and LL, and daily production during period 2 as a percentage of period 1 averaged 91, 84, 97, and 92. Returns above feed costs were about equal for HH, LH, and LL with HL greater. Overall the most satisfactory system was HL.

¹ Published with approval of the Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal Article No. 6414.

² Present address: Department of Agriculture, Western Kentucy University, Bowling Green 42101.