Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to test the effects of graded amounts of rumen-protected choline on milk yield and composition in lactating dairy cows fed 40% corn silage and 60% concentrate diets (DM basis). In Experiment 1, 48 Holstein cows were fed 0, .078, .156, and .234% rumen-protected choline (choline chloride basis) from wk 5 to 21 postpartum. Increasing choline had no effect on DMI and tended to increase milk yield only from 1 to 2.2 kg/d Milk fat percentage was reduced in the .078% choline treatment and increased to control levels thereafter with .156 and .234% choline. In Experiment 2, 16 Holstein cows in midlactation were assigned randomly to either 13.0 or 16.5% dietary CP (DM basis). Within CP concentration, cows were fed 0, .08, .16, and 24% rumen-protected choline in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. Dietary protein had no effect on milk yield, although milk protein percentage and yield were increased .25 percentage units and 63 g/d, respectively, by increased dietary CP. Increasing dietary choline to 24% linearly increased milk yield 2.6 kg/d, although it had no consistent effects on milk fat or protein percentage. There was only a slight tendency for greater responses in milk yield to dietary choline with lower dietary CP. Data from these experiments confirm earlier results with postruminal choline infusions, suggesting that choline may be a limiting nutrient for milk production.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.