Feeding a partial mixed ration once a day did not increase milk production compared with feeding grain in the dairy and forage in the paddock

Abstract

This experiment measured milk production responses of grazing cows offered supplements in different ways. Holstein-Friesian cows averaging 89 days in milk, were allocated into six groups of 36 (each group including three rumen-fistulated cows). Two groups were randomly assigned to each of three dietary treatments: (1) cows were offered milled barley grain twice daily at milking and pasture silage in the paddock (Control); (2) the same amounts of milled barley grain and pasture silage were fed as a partial mixed ration (PMR) once a day following morning milking (PMR1); and (3) cows were supplemented with a PMR containing milled barley grain, lucerne hay, maize silage and crushed maize grain fed once a day following morning milking (PMR2). All dietary treatments were formulated to provide the same metabolisable energy and cows were offered a restricted allowance of ~14 kg DM/cow.day (to ground level) of perennial ryegrass pasture in addition to their supplement. Each group of 36 cows was further divided into four groups of nine, each of which were offered supplements at either 6, 8, 10 and 12 kg DM/cow.day. The experiment consisted of a 14-day adaptation period and an 11-day measurement period. Cows fed PMR1 and PMR2 once a day did not show an increase in milk production compared with the traditional feeding system (Control). Presumably this was a result of asynchronous supply of nutrients to the rumen (in isoenergetic diets) compromising conditions for digestion and milk production.