Using estimated nutrient intake from pasture to formulate supplementary concentrate mixes for grazing dairy cows

In pasture-based dairy systems, feeding a complex concentrate mix in the parlor during milking that contains cereal grains and protein supplements has been shown to have milk production advantages over straight grain. This experiment had aim of testing whether further could be elicited by adjusting composition an attempt match expected nutrient intake from pasture late spring. The used 96 lactating cows, grazing perennial ryegrass offered at target allowance 30 kg dry matter/cow per day (to ground level) spring (mid October November) southeastern Australia. Cows were allocated into 3 replicates 4 treatment groups, with 24 cows each treatment. Each group was 1 dietary treatments milking: control consisting crushed wheat barley grains; formulated grain (FGM) wheat, barley, corn canola meal; designer (DGM1) same ingredients as FGM but using CPM Dairy nutrition model take account pasture; 2 (DGM2) DGM1 meal replaced urea fat supplement (Megalac, Volac Wilmar, Gresik, Indonesia). Concentrate mixes 8.0 day, except for DGM2 which 7.5 day. ran total 28 d; after 14-d adaptation period, intake, production, body weight measured measurement period. Milk yield (kg) fed diet greater than not different cows. However, yields all other diets. There no difference estimated daily or matter intakes between despite consuming less (average 6.5 when day). research demonstrated potential formulate achieve similar yields, also highlighted need near real-time analyses grazed so capture benefits terms yield.