Cows in collecting yard for milking in Cork. \ Donal O'Leary
There is no major impact on dairy cow performance when feeding a 12% crude protein dairy nut compared with a 14% dairy nut, UCD Professor Finbarr Mulligan said on Thursday while speaking at an Irish Grain and Feed Association (IGFA) conference in Portlaoise, Co Laois.
Research from UCD Lyons Farm, he said, shows that protein concentrations as low as 12% in the supplementary dairy nut can sustain milk production levels for high-output grazing cows.
"You can reduce protein concentrate levels down to 12% without any major impact. The difference in fat and protein yield was not significant.
"In 2013 or 2014, we looked at an 18% versus a 14% and we saw the same thing - that you can reduce the protein in the supplements for grazing cows without negatively impacting performance," he said.
Grass proteins
However, Prof Mulligan did say that sustaining performance on a lower crude protein nut will depend on grass crude protein.
"Feeding concentrations as low as 12% are fine for grazing cows. Will they be fine if grass crude protein is 12%? I'm not so sure," he said.
Native grains
Mulligan added that supplementary dairy nuts based on a high usage of native ingredients can result in similar performance to that of dairy cows fed supplements based on imported ingredients.
Register for free to read this story and our free stories.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access for 30 days.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
There is no major impact on dairy cow performance when feeding a 12% crude protein dairy nut compared with a 14% dairy nut, UCD Professor Finbarr Mulligan said on Thursday while speaking at an Irish Grain and Feed Association (IGFA) conference in Portlaoise, Co Laois.
Research from UCD Lyons Farm, he said, shows that protein concentrations as low as 12% in the supplementary dairy nut can sustain milk production levels for high-output grazing cows.
"You can reduce protein concentrate levels down to 12% without any major impact. The difference in fat and protein yield was not significant.
"In 2013 or 2014, we looked at an 18% versus a 14% and we saw the same thing - that you can reduce the protein in the supplements for grazing cows without negatively impacting performance," he said.
Grass proteins
However, Prof Mulligan did say that sustaining performance on a lower crude protein nut will depend on grass crude protein.
"Feeding concentrations as low as 12% are fine for grazing cows. Will they be fine if grass crude protein is 12%? I'm not so sure," he said.
Native grains
Mulligan added that supplementary dairy nuts based on a high usage of native ingredients can result in similar performance to that of dairy cows fed supplements based on imported ingredients.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS