Maximizing Gluten Feed in Corn Silage Diets for Dairy Cows

¹ Department of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211

Corn silage-based diets containing 20, 40, or 60% (DM basis) corn gluten feed were fed to 72 lactating cows to determine intake, milk yield, and milk composition. These diets plus a control (no corn gluten feed) were fed to four ruminally fistulated cows to determine digestibility and ruminal ammonia and VFA concentrations. Milk yields were significantly lower for cows fed the diet with 60% corn gluten feed, but when adjusted by covariate, milk yield was not different among diets. Milk protein percentage was greater for cows fed the 40 and 60% corn gluten feed diets.

In the digestion trial, increased corn gluten feed led to decreased DM digestibility and decreased ruminal acetate concentration but did not affect N, NDF, ADF, or starch digestibilities. Ruminal ammonia and pH were unaffected.

Net energy estimates for the diets were low relative to book values, suggesting significant depression in digestibility. Compared with conventional diets, NDF intake was high; this suggests that cows compensated for lower digestibility with increased DM intake. Diets containing up to 60% of DM as dry corn gluten feed were acceptable for dairy cows.

Key Words: by-product feed • lactating cow • digestibility

Submitted on March 3, 1990
Accepted on September 19, 1990

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