Effects of dietary protein content and the amino acid profile of metabolisable protein on voluntary intake and milk production of dairy cows fed maize silage-based diets

Abstract

The productive response of dairy cows to relatively high protein diets could be mediated, amongst other things, by provision of essential amino acids. Therefore, it may be possible to reduce the level of dietary protein (main source of N pollution) if the amino acid (AA) profile of metabolisable protein (MP) is considered in formulating diets. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of both dietary crude protein (CP) content and AA profile of MP on productive responses of dairy cows fed maize silage-based diets.