Replacing starch with non-forage fiber sources in dairy cow diets

Authors: Kalscheur, Kenneth; SANCHEZ-DUARTE, JUAN - South Dakota State University

Submitted to: Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2017
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Lower dietary inclusion of expensive grains can improve income over feed costs and potentially spare cereal grains for other more profitable uses. Non-forage fiber sources (NFFS) have been traditionally recommended to decrease cereal grain starch in the diet since they contain monosaccharides and highly digestible fiber that can maintain or even improve the performance of dairy cattle. However, it is debatable as to what the effect is of decreasing dietary starch concentration by partially replacing cereal grains with NFFS on the productivity of lactating dairy cows. Thirty-nine peer-reviewed papers were used for a meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between decreased dietary starch intake on lactation performance. In this analysis, the non-forage fiber sources used to replace cereal grain starch included beet pulp. brewers grains, citrus pulp, distillers dried grains with solubles, hominy feed, potato pulp, soybean hulls, wheat bran, and wheat middlings. Milk production increased linearly with starch intake, whereas dry matter intake responded quadratically. Increasing the dietary starch intake reduced milk fat concentration linearly, but increased milk protein concentration linearly. Replacing starch with non-forage fiber sources significantly affected cow performance. Lactation performance, along with changes in feed costs, must be considered when cereal grain starch is replaced with non-forage fiber sources.