Production responses to rumen-protected choline and methionine supplemented during the periparturient period differ for primi- and multiparous cows.

The objective of this experiment was to examine production performance responses to feeding rumen-protected choline (RPC) or methionine (RPM), or both, during the periparturient period. Fifty-four Holstein cows (25 primiparous, 29 multiparous) were used in a randomized block design experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial treatment structure. Cows were blocked by expected calving date and parity and assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: CON (no RPC or RPM); RPC (13.

The decline in digestive efficiency of US dairy cows from 1970 to 2014.

Since the year 1970, US milk production per cow has more than doubled, in part because of large increases in feed intake. It is well established that increasing feed intake reduces diet digestibility in dairy cattle. Our objective was to determine whether the digestive efficiency of US dairy cows had also changed.

Effect of short-term feed restriction on temporal changes in milk components and mammary lipogenic gene expression in mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows.

Investigations of the temporal changes in mammary gene expression that occur during sudden diet change have been limited by the use of mammary tissue as the source of RNA because of the invasive nature of mammary biopsy procedures. However, the cytosolic crescent, present in 1% of the largest milk fat globules, contains mammary epithelial cell RNA that has become trapped between the inner and outer milk fat globule membranes during final formation and secretion of milk fat into the lumen of the mammary alveoli. We hypothesized that cytosolic crescent RNA extracted from milk fat could be used as an alternative source of mammary epithelial cell RNA to measure the immediate temporal changes in gene expression as a result of changes in diet.

The effect of cation source and dietary cation-anion difference on rumen ion concentrations in lactating dairy cows.

Many studies have focused on the influence of dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) on animal performance but few have examined the effect of DCAD on the rumen ionic environment. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of DCAD, cation source (Na vs. K), and anion source (Cl vs.

Intake, milk production, ruminal, and feed efficiency responses to dietary cation-anion difference by lactating dairy cows.

Previous meta-analyses of the effects of dietary cation anion difference (DCAD; mEq/kg; Na + K - Cl - S) in lactating dairy cow diets used studies conducted after the development of the DCAD concept. Dietary buffers, such as NaHCO3 and K2CO3, increase DCAD and have been used in lactating dairy cow diets for several decades. However, most published studies on buffer feeding were conducted before the development of the DCAD concept.

The effect of dietary cation-anion difference concentration and cation source on milk production and feed efficiency in lactating dairy cows.

Feed costs currently account for 55% or more of the total cost of milk production in US dairy herds, and dairy producers are looking for strategies to improve feed efficiency [FE; 3.5% fat-corrected milk (FCM) per dry matter (DM) intake]. Increasing dietary cation-anion difference [DCAD; Na+K-Cl (mEq/kg of DM)] has been shown to increase milk production, FCM, and FE.

Milk fat responses to butterfat infusion during conjugated linoleic acid-induced milk fat depression in lactating dairy cows.

During diet-induced milk fat depression (MFD), the short and medium-chain fatty acids (SMCFA), which are synthesized de novo in the mammary gland, are reduced to a much greater extent than the long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) that originate from the circulation. Our hypothesis was that increased availability of SMCFA might rescue conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-induced MFD in lactating dairy cows. To test that hypothesis, 4 rumen-fistulated lactating Holstein cows (128 ± 23 d in milk) were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design with 3-wk experimental periods.

Milk fat responses to dietary supplementation of short- and medium-chain fatty acids in lactating dairy cows.

Short-and medium-chain fatty acids (SMCFA), which are synthesized de novo in the mammary gland, are reduced to a much greater extent than the long-chain fatty acids during diet-induced milk fat depression. Our hypothesis was that SMCFA are limiting for milk fat synthesis even under conditions when milk fat is not depressed. Our objective was to test the potential limitation of SMCFA on milk fat synthesis via dietary supplementation.