Effect of Concentrate Feed Level in Late Gestation on Subsequent Milk Yield, Milk Composition, and Fertility of Dairy Cows

¹ Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR
² Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, and The Queen's University of Belfast, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX
³ Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX
⁴ Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Veterinary Sciences Division, Stoney Road, Belfast BT4 3SD

The effects of level of concentrate feeding in late gestation on feed intake, milk yield, milk composition, and fertility in the subsequent lactation were evaluated in a randomized block design experiment involving 60 cows. Grass silage was offered ad libitum for the last 28 d of gestation either as the sole diet (0C) or supplemented with 5 kg/d of concentrates (5C). Following calving, the cows were offered the same grass silages supplemented with 7 kg/d of concentrates. For treatments 0C and 5C, total dry matter intakes were 9.28 and 11.03 kg/d of dry matter, respectively, during the last 4 wk of gestation. During wk 1 to 12 of the subsequent lactation, treatment 5C increased milk fat concentration but did not alter feed intake, milk yield, or protein concentration relative to treatment 0C. Treatment 5C increased the interval to first progesterone rise and the number of services per conception relative to treatment 0C. Cow parity, BF depth assessed at d 28 before parturition, and treatment provided the best fit relationships for the yields of fat and fat plus protein (R² relationships = 0.65 and 0.64, respectively) during wk 1 to 4 of lactation. It was concluded that, other than milk fat concentration, supplementation with additional concentrates in late gestation did not alter milk yield or composition and dairy cow fertility. Furthermore, despite the very large differences in cow characteristics at d 28 before parturition, there was no evidence of any interaction between treatment and specific cow characteristics on animal performance in the first 12 wk of lactation.

Key Words: concentrate • late gestation • dairy cow • subsequent lactation

Submitted on September 25, 2000
Accepted on March 13, 2001

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