Effects of Milk Feeding Strategies on Short- and Long-term Productivity of Holstein Cows

Authors

M. Garcia, Kansas State UniversityFollow
S. R. Montgomery, Kansas State UniversityFollow
L. Hulbert, Kansas State University, ManhattanFollow
B. Bradford, Kansas State University, ManhattanFollow

Keywords

Heifers, milk replacer, pasteurization, life-long performance

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the impacts of feeding preweaning heifers with a high protein milk replacer (MR) or a raw or pasteurized non-saleable milk (NSM) on preweaning and first lactation performance. Holstein heifers (n = 154) were blocked by birth date and weight (BW) and within block randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) MR (4% protein and 2.6% fat, liquid basis); 2) pasteurized NSM (PNSM, 3.6% protein and 4.1% fat, liquid basis); or 3) raw NSM (RNSM, 3.6% protein and 4.1% fat, liquid basis). Heifers in RNSM were fed raw colostrum whereas heifers in MR and PNSM were fed pasteurized colostrum. Heifers were fed milk treatments 3 times per day. Low BW heifers (<80 lb) were fed 3 pints/feeding until the target BW was achieved (then 4 pints/feeding), whereas high BW heifers (≥ 80 lb) were fed 4 pints/feeding since birth. After weaning (≥ 42 d of age and consuming at least 2 lb grain mix for 3 consecutive days), all heifers were uniformly managed. Heifers fed MR instead of NSM ate less grain (0.76 vs. 0.95 lb/d, P = 0.01). Low BW heifers fed RNSM had lesser average daily gain than high BW heifers fed RNSM (P = 0.01) but daily gain did not differ among heifers fed PNSM, perhaps because low BW heifers consumed more grain than high BW heifers on this treatment (P = 0.01). The 305-day mature equivalent (ME) milk yield was lower for low BW heifers compared with high BW heifers, but only when fed RNSM (28,785 vs. 32,542 lb ME milk, P = 0.04). Similarly, ME fat yield was reduced when RNSM was fed to low-BW heifers (1,094 vs. 1,244 lb ME fat, P = 0.05). The type and quantity of milk fed did not impact reproductive efficiency (P>0.10). Feeding RNSM may impair the first lactation performance of low BW heifers, whereas it did not appear to affect high BW heifers.

Recommended Citation

Garcia, M.; Montgomery, S. R.; Hulbert, L.; and Bradford, B. (2017) "Effects of Milk Feeding Strategies on Short- and Long-term Productivity of Holstein Cows," Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: Vol. 3: Iss. 8. https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.7522