Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T05:27:44.331Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of energy concentration in complete diets on the performance of heifers and mature cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

S. Crosse  and
J. Murphy
S. Crosse
Affiliation:
Teagasc, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Republic of Ireland
J. Murphy
Affiliation:
Teagasc, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Republic of Ireland
Get access

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out in the springs of 1986 and 1987 to investigate the effect of energy concentration in complete diets on the performance of heifers and mature cows. In 1986, all animals were on trial for an 8-week indoor period. In 1987, 14 heifers were on trial for 8 weeks, four heifers were on trial for 7 weeks and six heifers were on trial for 4 weeks. Carry-over effects were compared while animals were on pasture. Two diets offered ad libitum were compared. Diet H contained 0·7 concentrates and 0·3 grass silage. Diet L contained 0·5 concentrates and 0·5 grass silage. In 1986, the concentrate portion of diet H had a higher metabolizable energy (ME) content than diet L whereas in 1987 the same concentrate mixture was used in both diets.

Increasing the energy concentration of the diet from 10·66 MJ ME per kg dry matter (DM) to 11·21 MJ ME per kg DM resulted in a significant proportional increase of 0·36 in DM intake for heifers and mature cows in 1986. The proportional increase in DM intake in 1987 for heifers was 0·17. DM intake (kg DM per day) for heifers and mature cows in 1986 and for heifers in 1987 for diets H and L was 11·8, 8·7, 15·0, 11·0, 14·9, 12·7 respectively. The energy concentration of the complete diet did have a significant effect on average milk yield during the treatment period in the 1986 trial for mature cows but not for heifers in either year. Milk yields were 19·1, 17·5, 26·3, 240, 19·8, 18·9 kg/day respectively for heifers and mature cows in 1986 and for heifers only in 1987. In vivo digestibility coefficients in 1986 for energy, DM, organic matter, modified acid-detergent fibre and protein for diet H (0·708, 0·702, 0·724, 0·678, 0·671) were significantly higher than those for diet L (0·677, 0·666, 0·694, 0·653, 0·625).

The total lactation yield for the heifers and mature cows was not significantly influenced by the energy concentration of the diet given in early lactation.

Keywords

complete feedscowsenergy intakeheifers
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 51 , Issue 1 , August 1990 , pp. 15 - 21
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bines, J. A. 1976. Regulation of food intake in dairy cows in relation to milk production. Livestock Production Science 3: 115–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broster, W. H. and Broster, V. J. 1984. Reviews of the progress of dairy science: long-term effects of plane of nutrition on the performance of the dairy cow. Journal of Dairy Research 51: 149–196.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Broster, W. H. and Strickland, M. J. 1977. Feeding the dairy cow in early lactation. Part I. Review of the literature. ADAS Quarterly Review 26: 87–105.Google Scholar
Broster, W. H., Sutton, J. D. and Bines, J. A. 1978. Concentrate: forage ratios for high yielding dairy cows. In 12th Nutrition Conference for Feed Manufactures (ed. Haresign, W. and Lewis, D.), pp. 99–126. Butterworths, London.Google Scholar
Clancy, M. J. and Wilson, R. K. 1966. Development and application of a new chemical method for predicting the digestibility and intake of herbage samples. Proceedings of the 10th International Grassland Congress, Helsinki, pp. 445–453.Google Scholar
Crosse, S. and Gleeson, P. 1986. Effects of pre-calving liveweight and level of concentrate feeding post-calving on the performance of first-lactation heifers. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 25: 313–320.Google Scholar
Drennan, P. and Maguire, M. F. 1970. Prediction of the digestible and metabolisable energy content of pig diets from their fibre content. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 9: 197–202.Google Scholar
Gill, M. 1979. The principles and practice of feeding ruminants on complete diets. Grass and Forage Science 34: 155–161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Journet, M. and Remond, B. 1976. Physiological factors affecting the voluntary intake of feed by cows: a review. Livestock Production Science 3: 129–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krohn, C. C., Hvelplund, T. and Andersen, P. E. 1983. The effect on performance of different energy concentrations in complete rations for first lactation cows before and after calving. Livestock Production Science 10: 223–237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kroll, O. 1983. The moisture content and roughage source in complete diets for dairy cows. Animal Production 36: 506–507 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and Department of Agriculture For Northern Ireland. 1984. Energy allowances and feeding systems for ruminants. Reference Book 433. Her Majestys Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Phtpps, R. H., Bines, J. A., Fulford, R. J. and Weller, R. F. 1984a. Complete diets for dairy cows: a comparison between complete diets and separate ingredients. Journal of Agricultural Science. Cambridge 103: 171–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phipps, R. H., Bines, J. A., Weller, R. F. and Thomas, J. 1984b. Complete diets for dairy cows: a comparison between complete diets and separate ingredients. Journal of Agricultural Science. Cambridge 103: 171–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phipps, R. H., Bines, J. A., Weller, R. F. and Thomas, J. 1984b. Complete diets for dairy cows: the effect of energy concentration and change in energy concentration of a complete diet on intake and performance of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 103: 323–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A. and Terry, R. A. 1963. A two-stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops. Journal of the British Grassland Society 18: 104–111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar