Limit Thes Feeds in Ration for Dairy Cattle

Author: Charles C. Stallings, Extension Dairy Scientist, Nutrition - Virginia Tech

Cooperative Extension
When feeding lactating dairy cos it is !est to li"it a"ounts of certain feeds. #easons
can !e pro!le"s ith palata!ility, high oil or fat content, and i"!alances of certain
nutrients. $noing these restrictions can prevent pro!le"s fro" occurring. %lso,
co"!inations of so"e of these feeds can !e a pro!le" if the "axi"u"s are used ith
no regard to type and a"ount of nutrients that are provided. This is here your
nutritionist can !e an asset in identifying opti"al relationships ith consideration for
cost of the ration. &ere is a list of so"e feeds used in Virginia and suggested
"axi"u"s. #e"e"!er that these are "axi"u" a"ounts and not necessarily opti"u"
a"ounts.
Table 1. Feed maximums
Ingredient % of
onentrate
lbs.!1"" lbs.! #$ lbs.!o%!day
'rea
(.) *.*+ *.,
-ish "eal
+ *.*. (
/lood "eal
+ *.*. (
Tallo
, *.(0 (.)
1olasses, dry
2 *.() 0
3eanut s4ins
- *.+ ,
/a4ery aste
- *.+ ,
Soy!ean hulls
0* *., )
Wheat "iddlings
0* *., )
Cottonseed hulls
0* *., )
Whole cottonseeds
- *.) 5
#oasted soy!eans,
rolled 0) *.) 5
/reers grains, dry
0) *.) 5
Distillers grains, dry
0) *.) 5
Citrus pulp, dry
- *.2 .
Corn gluten feed, dry
+* *.. (*
/reers grains, et
- 0.+ +*
&rea is non-protein nitrogen and contains 0.(6 crude protein. 'tili7ation and
conversion to true protein "ust !e via incorporation into ru"en "icroorganis"s. Excess
a"ounts can !e fatal to cos so it is i"portant not to over supple"ent. 8n addition, urea
should not !e used ith a""oniated feeds such as silage and hays. 'rea is an
inexpensive source of solu!le nitrogen that "ay !e lac4ing in so"e diets, and it should
!e fed ith a readily availa!le car!ohydrate source such as corn or !arley.
Fish meal and blood meal are added to rations in an atte"pt to supply the li"iting
a"ino acids for production. They are not palata!le at high inclusion rates. 8n addition,
fish "eal ill reduce "il4 fat if fed a!ove the suggested a"ounts. /oth are relatively
expensive sources of protein and should !e used selectively.
Tallo% or ani"al fat is a saturated fat and a concentrated source of energy. /ecause high
levels of fat interfere ith fi!er digestion in the ru"en, feeds should !e li"ited that
contain significant a"ounts of fat. 'nsaturated fats such as corn or soy!ean oil should
not !e used in free for" in ru"inant rations. 9ilseeds :soy!eans and cottonseeds; can !e
fed ithin li"its shon in Ta!le (.
'olasses supply energy in the for" of sugars. Since sugars are rapidly fer"ented in the
ru"en, excess a"ounts should not !e fed !ecause the ru"en can !eco"e acidic. %t 26
of the concentrate or 0 l!s.<co<day there should !e no pro!le" as long as no other
sources of sugar are fed. 1olasses are often used to enhance palata!ility.
/oth (eanut s)ins and ba)ery %aste can !e difficult to feed. 3eanut s4ins are fluffy
and nutrient content varies ith a"ount of nuts present. /a4ery aste can !e pac4aged
in plastic. -eeding !oth feeds "ight re=uire so"e hand feeding. 3eanut s4ins have so"e
oil that can !e an energy source for cattle as does !a4ery aste. The tannin content
reduces protein digesti!ility of the s4ins. /a4ery aste can also supply starch and
replace so"e grains in the ration.
*oybean hulls or fla)es are sources of digesti!le fi!er. They can replace starch or
grains in dairy rations. They should not !e used to replace forages unless excess fi!er is
!eing fed. Soy!ean hulls do not sti"ulate cheing and ru"ination the ay forages do.
$heat middlings are "oderate in protein and energy. &igh levels in concentrates can
result in lo energy concentration and reduced "il4 production.
Cottonseed hulls and %hole seeds are feeds that can su!stitute for so"e of the forage
!ecause they sti"ulate cheing and ru"ination. /oth have relatively high levels of
fi!er. Cottonseed hulls can sti"ulate feed consu"ption hen fed ith other feeds.
Whole seeds contain 0*6 fat and "ust !e li"ited to prevent excess fat in the ration. 8n
addition, cottonseed products :hole seeds, and "eal; need to !e li"ited to prevent the
potential for gossypol toxicity.
Roasted soybeans are !etter utili7ed than ra, unprocessed !eans especially for non-
ru"inants. 'nli4e hole cottonseeds, soy!ean seeds should !e rolled or cri"ped !efore
feeding. Soy!eans contain 0*6 fat and are high in energy. %lso, heating increases the
ru"en resistant protein, !ut excessive heat can result in indigesti!le protein. Therefore,
any heating or roasting should !e controlled.
#re%ers and distillers grains can !e fed either dry or et. The drying process
increases the ru"en resistant protein. >ittle starch is present in these products !ecause it
has !een utili7ed in the fer"entation process. What is left is "ostly protein and fi!er.
Distillers grains can contain (*6 fat, resulting in a higher energy than in !reers grains.
/reers grains are si"ilar to corn silage in energy content.
Corn gluten feed is a !yproduct of corn syrup "anufacturing. This feed has protein that
is "ostly degrada!le in the ru"en and is not considered a source of ru"en resistant
protein. Energy is si"ilar to so"e grains. Corn gluten feed is often an econo"ical feed
to use in rations.
Citrus (ul( is a source of digesti!le fi!er and adds !ul4 to rations. %lso, it can replace a
portion of the forage fi!er, !ut is relatively lo in protein.
When co"!inations of these feeds are used it !eco"es unclear as to hat the
"axi"u"s should !e. ?enerally, li"it co"!inations of these feeds to no "ore than 0)6
of the ration dry "atter. With certain feeds this can !e excessive. -or instance, if
soy!eans and cottonseeds ere fed in co"!ination at their "axi"u"s, the (, l!s. ould
contain 0.. l!s. of oil. This is clearly excessive. $no hat each feed contri!utes to the
ration and use in a"ounts that are in !alance ith other ingredients. Cost is certainly a
consideration !ut not the only one. Ta!le 0 contains nutrient content of feeds. Variation
in nutrient content can !e significant ith !y-product feeds. 8n such cases, nutrient
analysis !efore feeding is reco""ended.
Table +. ,utrient ontent of seleted feeds.
D'
%
,-l
'al!lb
TD,
% D'
C.
% D'
ADF
% D'
,DF
% D'
Fat
% D'
R&.
% C.
'rea
@@ *.* * 0.( * * *.* *
-ish "eal
@+ *.52 5+ 2).* ( ( (*.) .*
/lood "eal
@* *.2. 22 @..* ( ( (., .0
Tallo
@@ 0.2) (55 *.* * * @@.) *
1olasses, dry
@, *.5* 5* (*.+ . (* *.@ 0)
3eanut s4ins
@0 *.20 2* (5.2 0* 0. 0+.* )*
/a4ery aste
@0 *.@, .@ (*.5 (+ (. (0.5 N%
Soy!ean hulls
@( *..( 55 (0.( )* 25 0.( ,*
Wheat "iddlings
.@ *.5( 2@ (.., (( +5 ,.@ (.
Cottonseed hulls
@( *.+5 ,0 ,.( 2, @* (.5 )*
Whole cottonseeds
@0 *.@@ @2 0(.* 0@ +@ 0+.* ,)
#oasted soy!eans, rolled
@* *.@@ @, ,0.0 (( () 0*.* ,@
/reers grains, dry
@0 *.2. 22 0@., 0, ,2 5.0 )*
Distillers grains, dry
@+ *.@0 .. 0@.5 (. ,0 @.0 ,2
Citrus pulp, dry
@( *..* 55 2.5 00 0+ +.5 N%
Corn gluten feed, dry
@* *..2 .+ 0).2 (( +. 0., 0*
/reers grains, et
0( *.2@ 22 0+.0 0+ ,0 2.) +)
D' A dry "atter, ,-l A net energy lactation, TD, A total digesti!le nutrients, C. A
crude protein, ADF A acid detergent fi!er, ,DF A neutral detergent fi!er, fat A ether
extract, and R&. A crude protein undegraded in the ru"en :!y-pass protein;, and ,A A
not availa!le.
Author: Charles C. Stallings, Extension Dairy Scientist, Nutrition - Virginia Tech
Cooperative Extension