Effects of prepartum dietary protein level and feed intake on postpartum lactation performance and feeding behavior of multiparous Holstein dairy cows

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of low and high metabolizable protein (MP) diets when fed for ad libitum and controlled intake during the prepartum period on postpartum lactation performance and feeding behavior of dairy cows. Thirty-six multiparous Holstein cows were blocked by parity, expected calving date, and previous lactation milk yield at −21 d relative to expected calving and were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 close-up period dietary treatments providing low MP (LMP) or high MP (HMP) diets with controlled intake (CNI) or ad libitum intake (ALI). The concentrations of MP were 65 and 90 g/kg dry matter for LMP and HMP diets, respectively, whereas intake was controlled to supply 100 and 160% of the NRC (2001) energy requirements for CNI and ALI groups, respectively. The concentration of net energy for lactation (NE L ) in the treatment diets was 1.50 Mcal/kg. All cows were fed a similar lactation diet after calving (1.50 Mcal/kg of NE L and 83.3 g/kg of MP). The HMP diet increased dry matter intake during the first 3 wk and tended to increase dry matter intake over the 9 wk of lactation. Meal size and eating rate increased in the ALI cows during the prepartum period. Meal frequency increased with the HMP diet during the postpartum period. Milk yield increased by 15.2% with the HMP diet over the 9 wk of lactation. The HMP diet increased energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield in CNI versus ALI cows, whereas the LMP diet increased ECM yield in ALI versus CNI cows over the 9 wk of lactation. The increase in ECM yield of LMP-ALI versus LMP-CNI cows was supported by greater body condition loss and serum β-hydroxybutyrate over the 9 wk of lactation.Taken together, these data indicate that prepartum controlled intake of a high protein diet can provide the benefits of both strategies.

Colostrum Production, Calf Birth Weight, and Postpartum Ovarian Follicular Activity of Dairy Cows Fed Restricted Diet With Different Protein Levels During the Prepartum Period

“…Briefly, the AFI cows had higher serum βhydroxybutyrate, free fatty acids, and BCS loss during the postpartum period compared with the RFI cows, however, this increase was more pronounced in cows fed LMP versus HMP diet indicating the use of body fat reserves. A decrease in serum β-hydroxybutyrate and free fatty acid concentrations supported an increase in postpartum DMI in HMP cows compared with LMP cows (Akhtar et al, 2021).…”

“…Design and Production Data: Prepartum energy balance of ⁓105 and 165% of NRC ( 2001) requirements were achieved in RFI and AFI groups, respectively in both LMP and HMP cows. Data for DMI, production performance, body condition score (BCS), and body weight were reported previously (Akhtar et al, 2021). Briefly, the AFI cows had higher serum βhydroxybutyrate, free fatty acids, and BCS loss during the postpartum period compared with the RFI cows, however, this increase was more pronounced in cows fed LMP versus HMP diet indicating the use of body fat reserves.…”

“…Cows, Experimental Design, and Treatments: This experiment was conducted at University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ravi Campus, Pattoki, Pakistan. The complete details of enrolled cows, animal management, and treatment diets were described by Akhtar et al (2021). In brief, thirty-six multiparous Holstein cows were enrolled in this study.…”

Effects of peripartal glucose precursor supplementation on lactation performance and metabolic health of primiparous and multiparous dairy cows

“…Collection of blood samples was performed in the morning from the coccygeal blood vessels using evacuated tubes without preservative at day −7, −3, 3, 7, 14, 21 and weekly afterward relative to calving. Serum was separated following centrifugation at 2,000×g for 15 min and stored at −21°C for the later analysis of BHBA, FFA, glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and triglycerides (TG) using commercially available enzymatic kits as mentioned previously [ 18 ].…”

“…Energy-corrected milk (ECM), 3.4% protein-corrected milk (PCM), dietary non-fibrous carbohydrates, and changes in BW and BCS were calculated using the equations presented previously [ 18 ]. Before the statistical analysis, data collected on daily basis were converted to weekly means.…”