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Effect of Grains Differing in Expected Ruminal Fermentability on the Productivity of Lactating Dairy Cows

C. Silveira^*, M. Oba^*,1, K. A. Beauchemin and J. Helm

^* Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2P5, Canada
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1J 4B1, Canada
Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development, Lacombe, Alberta, T4L 1W8, Canada

¹ Corresponding author: masahito.oba{at}ualberta.ca

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of barley and corn grains differing in expected fermentability in the rumen on dry matter intake (DMI) and productivity of lactating dairy cows. Twenty-two multiparous and 9 primiparous lactating Holstein cows (94 ± 29 d in milk; mean ± SD) were used in a 3 x 3 Latin square design with 21-d periods. Experimental diets contained approximately 40% of dietary dry matter as steam-rolled barley, using a lot of cultivar Dillon or cultivar Xena, or a corn mixture (CM) containing 87.5% dry ground corn, 11.4% beet pulp, and 1.1% urea (dry matter basis). Starch concentration of the grain sources was 50.0, 58.7, and 60.4% and in vitro 6-h starch digestibility was 73.5, 78.0, and 71.0%, respectively, for Dillon, Xena, and CM. All diets were formulated to contain 19.4% crude protein and 25.3% forage neutral detergent fiber. Dry matter intake (23.6 vs. 21.6 kg/d) and yields of milk (40.4 vs. 37.4 kg/d), milk protein (1.20 vs. 1.12 kg/d), and milk lactose (1.85 vs. 1.74 kg/d) were higher for cows fed CM than for cows fed barley. Although DMI was similar for cows fed Xena and Dillon (21.9 vs. 21.4 kg/d), cows fed Xena had higher yields of milk (38.5 vs. 36.2 kg/d), milk protein (1.18 vs. 1.07 kg/d), and milk lactose (1.80 vs. 1.69 kg/d) than cows fed Dillon. However, milk fat concentration tended to be higher (3.47 vs. 3.23%) for cows fed Dillon than Xena. Plasma glucose and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations were not affected by treatment, but plasma insulin concentration was higher for cows fed Xena compared with those fed Dillon (8.50 vs. 5.91 µIU/mL). Greater milk production for cows fed CM can be attributed to greater DMI. Feeding barley that was lower in starch concentration and ruminal starch fermentability (Dillon) did not increase DMI compared with feeding barley that was higher in starch concentration and ruminal starch fermentability (Xena). Reducing ruminal starch degradation of barley grain may not improve the productivity of lactating dairy cows.

Key Words: barley • starch digestibility • milk production • dairy cow

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Silveira, M. Oba, W. Z. Yang, and K. A. Beauchemin Selection of Barley Grain Affects Ruminal Fermentation, Starch Digestibility, and Productivity of Lactating Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, June 1, 2007; 90(6): 2860 - 2869. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]