2015 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 45-53
Sixteen lactating Holstein dairy cows were randomly separated into two groups, and two groups were assigned to one of the following dietary treatments (1) C: feeding steam flaked corn (4kg FM/d) + commercial formula feed (4kg FM/d) + soybean meal (2kg FM/d) + grass hay (3kg FM/d) and corn silage (CS) (ad lib); (2) BP: feeding beet pulp (4kg FM/d) and amount of other feed was the same as C. The experiment started immediately after calving. Total DMI of BP was significantly higher than that of C. DM digestibility and GE digestibility tended to be higher for BP than for C. GE and ME intake of BP was significantly higher than that of C. An interaction was detected for energy balance indicating earlier recovery to positive energy balance for BP than for C. Cows for BP attained positive ME balance during 22 to 42 days in milk, whilst those for C attained positive during 43 to 60 days in milk. The molar portion of acetic acid of BP was significantly higher than that of C. The molar portion of propionate of C was significantly higher than that of BP. Plasma glucose of cows fed C tended to be higher than that of cows fed BP. Plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentration decreased with advancing DIM but was not affected by dietary treatments. Six of eight cows for both dietary treatments ovulated until 60 DIM. Although six of eight cows fed C ovulated twice, only one of eight cows fed BP ovulated. Days from calving to first ovulation for BP was significantly longer than for C.
