Theme 19: Use of Supplements
Description
A dynamic model of digestion kinetics has been built to evaluate dairy cattle diets based on tropical feeds and to estimate the potential of tropical forages for milk production associated with available supplements. Results of simulation were very consistent showing that grazed elephant grass alone can supply nutrients for cow maintenance and yield of 7.10 kg milk/day. Nevertheless, to produce 25 kg/day on grazed elephant grass, a dairy cow would need to be supplemented with 5.85 kg/day of a mixture of cottonseed meal (50%) plus ground maize (50%), while on maize silage it would be necessary 4.15 kg of the same supplementation. On the other hand, for the same amount of milk, a cow fed a sugarcane/urea-based diet would need 5.87 kg of the above mixture. As far as feeding cost is concerned, to reach the potential production of 25 kg of milk/day, a cow would expend US$ 1.19 on grazed elephant grass-based diet, as compared to US$ 1.40 on sugarcane- and maize silage-based diets. The present model showed to be an useful tool for assessing, preexperimentally, the potential response to supplementation of dairy cows fed tropical forages.
Included in
A Simulation Model to Evaluate Supplementation of Tropical Forage Diets for Dairy Cows
A dynamic model of digestion kinetics has been built to evaluate dairy cattle diets based on tropical feeds and to estimate the potential of tropical forages for milk production associated with available supplements. Results of simulation were very consistent showing that grazed elephant grass alone can supply nutrients for cow maintenance and yield of 7.10 kg milk/day. Nevertheless, to produce 25 kg/day on grazed elephant grass, a dairy cow would need to be supplemented with 5.85 kg/day of a mixture of cottonseed meal (50%) plus ground maize (50%), while on maize silage it would be necessary 4.15 kg of the same supplementation. On the other hand, for the same amount of milk, a cow fed a sugarcane/urea-based diet would need 5.87 kg of the above mixture. As far as feeding cost is concerned, to reach the potential production of 25 kg of milk/day, a cow would expend US$ 1.19 on grazed elephant grass-based diet, as compared to US$ 1.40 on sugarcane- and maize silage-based diets. The present model showed to be an useful tool for assessing, preexperimentally, the potential response to supplementation of dairy cows fed tropical forages.
