DDGS as substitute for barley grain in cattle
Can DDGS be a good alternative for barley grain in dairy rations? And what are the effects on rumen fermentation and productivity?
By Masahito Oba, University of Alberta, Canada
Early lactating dairy cows have greater risk of rumen acidosis because their diets change from a high-forage to a high-starch diet immediately after calving. When cows are fed rapidly fermentable grain, their dry matter intake (DMI) often decreases because of excess acid production in the rumen. The reduction in DMI caused by subclinical acidosis often decreases energy intake, and may worsen negative energy balance. Therefore, it is challenging to maximise energy intake of dairy cows in early
lactation without causing Subactue Ruminal Acidosis (SARA).
The full article featured in Issue 8 2014 of AllAboutFeed discusses the use of byproducts, how the experiment was set up and how DDGS can be used in the diet.
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