Effect of amount of dietary supplement and source of protein on milk production, ruminal fermentation, and nutrient flows in dairy cows

An experiment with a multiple Latin square design using 36 midlactation Friesian cows was carried out to determine the effect of fish meal or soybean meal in a supplement fed at two amounts (3.5 or 7 kg/d) with grass silage. The diets were also fed to four ruminally and duodenally cannulated cows to determine digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and nutrient flows. Dry matter intake, milk production, milk constituent yields, and concentrations of protein and lactose were significantly increased by the supplements when provided at 7 kg/d. The supplement containing fish meal increased milk production, protein and lactose yields, and milk protein concentration, but the increases were smaller than those obtained by increasing the amount of supplement fed. Neither the type nor the amount of supplement fed affected digestibility of dry matter or organic matter, and few significant effects on ruminal fermentation were observed. Supplements fed at the higher allowance significantly increased the flow of dry matter, organic matter, all nitrogenous components, and amino acids to the duodenum. The supplement containing fish meal significantly increased the duodenal flow of nonammonia nonmicrobial N and some amino acids. Results indicated that an increase in the concentration of supplement in the diet is more effective in increasing milk production, protein concentration and yield, and flow of amino acids to the duodenum than is increasing the concentration of ruminally undegradable protein in the supplement.