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Feeding Guidelines for Large-Breed Dairy Cattle

Feeding Guidelines for Large-Breed Dairy Cattle

Life Stagesa

Dry (Far-off)

Close (Close-up)

Cow - Fresh

Cow - Early

Cow - Mid

Cow - Late

6-mo Heifer

12-mo Heifer

18-mo Heifer

24-mo Heifer (Close-up)

Body weight, kg

740

740

700

675

725

740

200

300

450

595

DMI, kg/d

13.9

12.3

20.8

25.8

29.4

27.4

5

7

9.8

11

Milk production, kg/db

—

—

35

55

43

35

—

—

—

—

Crude protein, %c

12

14.3

17.5

17.4

15.2

14.1

15

12.6

12

15.0

RDP, %

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

RUP, %

1.9

4.3

7.5

7.4

5.2

4.1

5

2.6

2

5

MP, %

5.2

6.7

10.9

10.2

10.2

10.1

8.1

7.0

6.1

14

NEL, Mcal/kg

1.28

1.49

1.7d

1.8

1.65

1.36

—

—

—

ME, Mcal/kg

2.26

2.09

1.92

2.12

NDF, min, %

25–33

25–33

25–33

25–33

25–33

25–33

25–33

25–33

25–33

25–33

Forage NDF, min, %

19–25

19–25

19–25

19–25

19–25

19–25

19–25

19–25

19–25

19–25

Starch, max, %

15–20

15–20

22–30

22–30

22–30

22–30

15–20

15–20

15–20

15–20

Calcium, %

0.31

0.39

0.64

0.64

0.60

0.58

0.78

0.58

0.44

0.39

Phosphorus, %

0.19

0.21

0.39

0.39

0.37

0.35

0.32

0.23

0.21

0.19

Magnesium, %

0.13

0.14

0.18

0.18

0.18

0.17

0.14

0.12

0.12

0.12

Chlorine, %

0.13

0.14

0.34

0.34

0.32

0.29

0.17

0.14

0.13

0.13

Sodium, %

0.16

0.7

0.23

0.22

0.22

0.21

0.17

0.15

0.15

0.16

Potassium, %

0.62

0.69

1.10

1.07

1.00

0.99

0.51

0.54

0.56

0.60

Sulfur, %

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

0.20

Vitamin A, IU/kg

5,850

6,630

3,687

3,021

3,303

3,103

3,390

4,265

4,698

5,288

Vitamin D, IU/kg

1,442

1,595

1,085

1,085

952

1,021

924

1,044

1,281

1,442

Vitamin E, IU/kg

85

181

22

22

19

20

49

56

68

77

Abbreviations: DMI, dry-matter intake; ME, metabolizable energy; MP, metabolizable protein; NDF, neutral detergent fiber; NEL, net energy lactation; RDP, rumen degradable protein; RUP, rumen undegraded protein.

Trace mineral added to ration: cobalt, 0.2 mcg/g; copper, 8–19 mcg/g; iodine, 0.42–0.69 mcg/g; iron, 16–61 mcg/g; manganese, 27–49 mcg/g; selenium, 0.30 mcg/g; zinc, 30–66 mcg/g.

Adapted, with permission, from National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. 8th rev ed. The National Academies Press; 2021. doi:10.17226/25806.

aLife stages: far-off dry > 30 days from calving; close-up dry < 30 days from calving; fresh, early, mid, and late represent lactation periods.

bMilk composition changes through lactation stages.

cAll concentrations are on a dry-matter basis.

dThe maximum energy concentration that can be formulated without resulting in insufficient dietary fiber or excess fat concentrations is 1.8 Mcal/kg dry matter. This energy concentration will typically not meet the energy requirements at this lactation stage, and these cows will lose weight.

Abbreviations: DMI, dry-matter intake; ME, metabolizable energy; MP, metabolizable protein; NDF, neutral detergent fiber; NEL, net energy lactation; RDP, rumen degradable protein; RUP, rumen undegraded protein.

Trace mineral added to ration: cobalt, 0.2 mcg/g; copper, 8–19 mcg/g; iodine, 0.42–0.69 mcg/g; iron, 16–61 mcg/g; manganese, 27–49 mcg/g; selenium, 0.30 mcg/g; zinc, 30–66 mcg/g.

Adapted, with permission, from National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. 8th rev ed. The National Academies Press; 2021. doi:10.17226/25806.

aLife stages: far-off dry > 30 days from calving; close-up dry < 30 days from calving; fresh, early, mid, and late represent lactation periods.

bMilk composition changes through lactation stages.

cAll concentrations are on a dry-matter basis.

dThe maximum energy concentration that can be formulated without resulting in insufficient dietary fiber or excess fat concentrations is 1.8 Mcal/kg dry matter. This energy concentration will typically not meet the energy requirements at this lactation stage, and these cows will lose weight.

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