Adapted from National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Seventh Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2001. https://doi.org/10.17226/9825. Reprinted with permission.

As the proportion of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from forage sources decreases, the minimum requirement for total NDF increases. These represent minimum requirements; diets with higher NDF concentrations present no problem and are generally appropriate for animals with relatively low energy requirements.