Effect of pre- and post-calving concentrate allocation and of starch source on feed intake, blood metabolite profiles and performance of transition cows

Abstract

A two-factorial experiment was carried out on Polish Holstein-Friesian cows from the 6 th week before parturition to the 12 th week of lactation, allotted into 6 groups of 8 animals that before parturition and in the fi rst week of lactation were fed rations differentiated in protein and energy levels. Animals of each group received two kinds of concentrate (1.10-1.12 UFL/kg DM) containing barley (subgroup B) or maize (subgroup M) as the main source of energy. Cows from group I (control) were fed according to IZ-INRA (2001) standards before parturition and in early lactation. The level of concentrate in diets for every group was increased weekly either from week 3 before parturition to the fi rst week of lactation (kg/day in week 3, 2, 1 before parturition and week 1 after parturition, respectively): in group I -1, 2, 2, 4; group II -1, 2, 4, 6; group III -2, 2, 2, 4; group IV -2, 2, 4, 6 or from week 6 before parturition to the fi rst week of lactation (kg/day in week 6, 5, 4 3, 2, 1 before parturition and week 1 after parturition, respectively): group V -2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4 and group VI -2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4, 6.Irrespective of starch source, cows of groups II, IV and VI receiving 2 kg of concentrates more than others, both in week 1 before parturition and in the fi rst week of lactation, consumed more Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences, 17, 2008, 473-490 5 Corresponding author: e-mail: jstrzet@izoo.krakow.pl 474 DIETARY CONCENTRATE LEVEL FOR TRANSITION COWS dry matter (P<0.01), which may suggest reduction of energy and protein defi cits. Differences in the concentration of metabolites in blood serum did not differ signifi cantly between the groups, but numerically higher values of non-esterifi ed fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyric acid, glucose, insulin and aspartate aminotransferase in group VI, both before and after parturition, may suggest a benefi cial infl uence of concentrate allocation method on energy balance. Milk yield did not differ among groups, although cows of group VI produced from 1.05 to 2.47 kg/day more than cows of other groups. The concentrate allocation method signifi cantly affected (P<0.01) milk protein content, with the highest values for groups V and VI. On the other hand, the source of starch, irrespective of concentrate allocation method, did not infl uence dry matter intake or level of metabolites in blood serum. Cows fed rations containing barley produced 0.94 kg/day more milk than those fed concentrate with maize, but the differences were not statistically signifi cant (P>0.05). The concentration allocation and starch source did not infl uence reproduction performance.The results of this study suggest that concentrate allocation, in particular, increasing the amount of concentrate provided in the last week of pregnancy and fi rst week of lactation, may affect production and energy metabolism of transition cows. Extension of concentrate feeding to 6 weeks before parturition may additionally improve energy balance. The source of starch plays no important role.

Impact of glucogenic additive in transition dairy cow diets of varying ruminal starch degradability on yield and composition of milk and reproductive parameters

“…Similarly, Reksen et al (2001) demonstrated that such supplementation in cows of high productivity improved energy balance after parturition, and, consequently, induced earlier ovulation process. A source of starch did not have considerable influence on the reproduction indices that agrees with the result achieved by Strzetelski et al (2008), who conducted comparative studies on barley and maize.…”

“…Excessive fermentation of starch to VFA in the rumen may, therefore, lower the dry matter intake (DMI) of high producing dairy cows (McCarthy et al, 1989;Overton et al, 1995). Other studies (Herrera-Saldana et al, 1990;Strzetelski et al, 2008), however, have shown no change in intake as degradation of starch in the rumen increased. The type of grain species of differentiated ruminal starch degradation used in our trial did not have any negative impact on feed DM intake, too.…”

The effectiveness of rapeseed cake and glycerine in feeding dairy cows

“…The absence of negative effects on body condition score (BCS) and body weight was also reported by other authors who fed cows a high energy diet for 6 weeks before calving (Mashek and Beede, 2001;Strzetelski et al, 2008). The changes in body weight did not correspond to the changes in BCS.…”

Seeds of n-GM Soybean Varieties Cultivated in Poland and Their Processing Products as High-Protein Feeds in Cattle Nutrition

“…Due to the high content of protein and fat, soybean seeds are a valuable high-protein and high-energy feed in cattle feeding. In ruminants, the nutritional value of protein is measured by the amount of amino acids absorbed in the small intestine from two fractions: the microbial protein synthetized in the rumen from the available nitrogen and energy (fraction estimated by the rumen microbial digestion coefficient) and the dietary protein which escaped digestion in the rumen (fraction determined by the intestinal digestion coefficient) [26]. The efficiency of microbial protein synthesis in the rumen depends on the precise and adequately selection of feed ration components, ensuring synchronization of the rate of nitrogen and energy release in the rumen fermentation processes [27].…”

“…The estimation of the feed energy value included the fat content [26]. In the rumen environment, two major processes occur during the feed fat metabolism: the hydrolysis of ester linkages in lipids liberated free fatty acids and the biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids [29].…”