Performance of Dairy Cows as Affected by Prepartum Dietary Carbohydrate Source and Supplementation with Chromium Throughout the Transition Period

• Published in: Journal of dairy science Vol. 88; no. 1; pp. 255 - 263
• Main Authors: Smith, K.L., Waldron, M.R., Drackley, J.K., Socha, M.T., Overton, T.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Savoy, IL Elsevier Inc 01.01.2005; Am Dairy Sci Assoc; American Dairy Science Association
• Subjects: Animal productions; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; carbohydrate; Cattle - physiology; Chromium; Chromium - administration & dosage; cow feeding; Dairy cattle; Dietary Carbohydrates - administration & dosage; Dietary Fiber - administration & dosage; dietary mineral supplements; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; Dietary Supplements; Eating; Edible Grain; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lactation; Methionine - administration & dosage; milk composition; periparturient cow; Pregnancy; Prenatal Care; prepartum period; Terrestrial animal productions; Time Factors; Vertebrates; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; NFFS; chromium; periparturient cow; carbohydrate; Cr-Met; CNCPS; Dairy cattle; Prepartum; Feeding; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Dairy industry; Chromium; Carbohydrate; Artiodactyla; Supplementation; Performance; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(05)72683-7

Holstein cows (n=72) entering second or later lactation were used to determine whether productive performance and dry matter intake (DMI) are affected by carbohydrate source in the prepartum diet and chromium-l-methionine (Cr-Met) supplementation throughout the periparturient period. Cows were fed either a TMR with the concentrate portion based on starch-based cereals [high nonfiber carbohydrate (NFC); 1.59 Mcal/kg of net energy for lactation (NEL), 14.4% crude protein (CP), 40.3% NFC] or a TMR with the concentrate portion based on nonforage fiber sources (low NFC; 1.54 Mcal/kg NEL, 14.5% CP, 33.6% NFC) from 21 d before expected parturition until parturition. After parturition all cows were fed a lactation TMR (1.74 Mcal/kg NEL, 16.5% CP, 40.0% NFC). The Cr-Met was supplemented once daily via gelatin capsule at dosages of 0, 0.03, or 0.06mg of Cr/kg of metabolic body weight. Thus, treatments were in a 2 (carbohydrate source)×3 (Cr-Met) factorial arrangement. Neither prepartum nor postpartum DMI was affected by prepartum dietary carbohydrate source. Administering increasing amounts of Cr-Met linearly increased milk yield and, subsequently, postpartum DMI. Prepartum carbohydrate source did not affect postpartum milk yield; however, cows fed the low NFC diet tended to yield milk with a lower content of total solids. These data indicate that prepartum carbohydrate source has little influence on performance during the immediate peripartal period, and that increases in milk yield for cows supplemented with Cr-Met are independent of prepartum dietary carbohydrate source.