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From eHay Weekly (4/5/05)
Monitoring Dairy Ration Water Content May Have
Benefits
When dairy cattle sort through the feed in their feed bunks, they may be
eating a very different ration than producers intended. Alvaro Garcia,
South Dakota State University extension dairy specialist, says sorting
is more likely if a dry total mixed ration is offered. When cattle sort,
they usually refuse longer hay particles, which are necessary to provide
effective fiber. Effective fiber in the diet is needed for normal rumen
function, chewing and saliva production.
Garcia points to recent University of Wisconsin research that has shown
that drier diets with 40% alfalfa hay resulted in more sorting than
wetter diets with 20% alfalfa hay and 20% alfalfa silage. In another
trial, replacing alfalfa hay with alfalfa silage resulted in similar
milk production, but milk fat percentage increased from 2.39 to 2.63%.
Adding water to a dry diet has a similar effect, Garcia says, as it
reduces sorting and improves cow performance. Another University of
Wisconsin trial compared water addition to diets consisting of 10%
alfalfa silage, 30% mixed hay, and 60% concentrate on a dry basis. Dry
matter was 80.8% for the dry ration and 64.4% for the wet, water-added
total mixed ration.
Adding water to the dry diet did not affect total dry matter intake or
milk production, but reduced sorting and tended to increase NDF intake
and milk fat percentage.
Other health benefits that result from decreased sorting are reductions
in acidosis, displaced abomasums and incidence of lameness. According to
USDA's National Animal Health Monitoring System, lameness costs
producers about $347 per case in lost productivity. "On the other hand,
testing feeds for their moisture content runs under $10," Garcia says.
"It is thus recommended that dairy producers check individual feeds as
well as the total mixed ration regularly for their moisture content."
Contact Garcia at 605-688-5488.
Source: South Dakota State University.
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