official course number and title

Week 7

Dairy: Lactating Cows

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Balancing Rations

Text Transcript

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Rations Delivered to the Cow

The ration on paper
The ration in the bunk
The ration consumed by the cow
The ration absorbed

Requirements

Body weight
- Holsteins/Brown Swiss – 1300 to 1600 lbs
- Aryshire/Guernsey – 1200 to 1400 lbs
- Jersey – 900 to 1200 lbs
Milk production
- Daily metered weights, monthly test weights, daily tank averages
Weight gain/loss

Accurate Feed Analysis

Test forages when harvested
Test forages monthly
- $30-60/sample
Determine forage DM weekly
Grains – use book values
Test by-products by load

Ration Formulation

Lead factors
- One group – 30% (70 lb avg = 91 lb goal)
- Two groups – 20% (80 lbs avg = 96 lb goal)
- Three groups – 10% (90 lbs avg = 99 lb goal)
Start with forages
- Determine energy/protein supplement needs
Monitor DMI, CP, NEL, and ADF as you change ingredient amounts
ADF-NDF spread about 10 pts
- By-products 15-25 pt spread
Minerals and vitamins – commercial grain mix or mineral pack

When the Ration is Complete Ask...

Have all deficiencies been corrected?
Are excesses present?
Is the ration palatable and physically feasible to feed?
Does the ration appear to be the most economical combination of feeds?
- What is the cost of the ration?
What will be needed in addition?
- Free choice salt, mineral, etc

NDF Intake

NDF Intake
	NDF Intake (% of BW)
Dry Cow	0.8 – 1.0%
Early Lactation	0.8 – 1.0%
First Lactation	1.0%
Second Lactation	1.2%

Ration Composition

Suggested Ration Composition
Milk (lb/d)	DMI (lb/d)	NEL (Mcal/lb)	CP (%DM)	RDP (%CP)	RUP (%CP)
55	42	0.70	15.0	67	33
77	48	0.74	16.0	64	36
99	54	0.76	17.0	61	39
120	60	0.78	18.0	59	41

Suggested Ration Composition
Milk (lb/d)	ADF (%DM)	NDF (%DM)	eNDF (%DM)	NFC (%DM)	Fat (%DM)
55	25	35	20	35-38	2-4
77	23	32	20	38-40	2-5
99	20	27	20	40-42	2-6
120	19	25	20	40-42	2-7

Note on Nutrient Densities

Nutrient Densities are useful
However – Most Important
- Meet the nutrient requirements at a given level of feed intake

Feed Costs

Typically 50% of expenses
Feed costs – lactating cows
- $6.00 – 7.00/cwt
Feed costs - all cows
- $6.50 – 7.50/cwt

Relationship Between Feed Costs and Milk Production