Simulation of milk production by dairy cows fed sugarcane top-based diets with locally available supplements under Indian conditions

Abstract

A model of sugarcane digestion was applied to indicate the suitability of various locally available supplements for enhancing milk production of Indian crossbred dairy cattle. Milk production was calculated according to simulated energy, lipogenic, glucogenic and aminogenic substrate availability. The model identified the most limiting substrate for milk production from different sugarcane-based diets. For sugarcane tops/urea fed alone, milk production was most limited by amino acid followed by long chain fatty acid availability. Among the protein-rich oil cake supplements at 100, 200 and 300 g supplement/kg total DM, cottonseed oil cake proved superior with a milk yield of 5·5, 7·3 and 8·3 kg/day, respectively. This was followed by mustard oil cake with 5·1, 6·5 and 7·6 kg/day, respectively. In the case of a protein-rich supplement (fish meal), milk yield was limited to 6·6 kg/day due to a shortage of long chain fatty acids. However, at 300 g of supplementation, energy became limiting, with a milk yield of 6·7 kg/day. Supplementation with rice bran and rice polishings at 100, 200 and 300 g restricted milk yield to 4·3, 4·9 and 5·5 and 4·5, 5·3 and 6·1 kg/day, respectively, and amino acids became the factor limiting milk production. The diet comprising basal sugarcane tops supplemented by leguminous fodder, dry fodder (e.g. rice or wheat straw) and concentrates at levels of 100, 200 and 300 g supplements/kg total diet DM proved to be the most balanced with a milk yield of 5·1, 6·7 and 9·0 kg/day, respectively.

Recent advances in modeling nutrient utilization in ruminants1

“…Subsequently, Chilibroste et al (2001) and Rodrigues et al (2002) adapted the model to evaluate supplements to enhance the nutrient supply and milk production of cattle fed diets based on ryegrass and elephant grass, respectively. Behera et al (2005) also used the model to simulate milk production by dairy cows fed sugarcane top-based diets and other local supplements in India. Assis et al (2008) reviewed advances in modeling sugarcane utilization by dairy cows in the tropics, describing the addition of a submodel to represent endogenous protein N and large intestine digestion, discontinuous feed intake, and extension to other forage diets.…”

Farming systems methodology for efficient resource management at the farm level: a review from an Indian perspective

“…cassava and sweet potato), oilseed cakes and meals (viz. oil palm kernel cake, cotton seed cake and copra cake), rice bran and bagasse (Behera et al 2005). In Asia, rice straw is the principal fibrous residue fed to >0·90 of ruminants.…”